University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Gardner-Webb
Fleury Slugs No. 2 Tar Heels Past Gardner-Webb, 10-3
March 4, 2009 | Baseball
March 4, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Mark Fleury connected on a grand slam and drove in a career-best five runs, and right-hander Bryant Gaines earned his first career win in No. 2 North Carolina's 10-3 victory over Gardner-Webb Wednesday at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels improved to 8-1 with their fifth straight win, while the Bulldogs dropped to 3-4.
Fleury, who leads the Tar Heels with 17 RBI and three home runs, went 2-for-2 with an RBI double in the third, the grand slam in the sixth and a pair of walks. Ben Bunting made his first start in the leadoff spot and responded with his second straight three-hit game, and Levi Michael, Kyle Seager and Ryan Graepel added two hits apiece to pace the Carolina offense. Garrett Gore chipped in with two RBI and two runs scored.
Gaines (1-0) posted career bests of five innings and six strikeouts in just his second start. He allowed just one earned run on six hits and three walks en route to his first victory.
Redshirt freshman right-hander Garrett Davis made his first appearance since undergoing "Tommy John" surgery last season and struck out two in a perfect seventh inning. Davis, Brian Moran, Jimmy Messer, Nate Striz and Patrick Johnson combined to allow just one run over the final four innings.
The victory was the 1,000th of North Carolina head coach Mike Fox's 26-year career. With a 1,000-332-5 career mark, Fox is the 51st head coach in NCAA history to reach the 1,000-win plateau, and he ranks 10th among active Division I coaches in victories.
Gardner-Webb starter Brett Stackhouse (1-2) allowed four runs on five hits and three walks over three innings. Justin Loyd led the Bulldogs with three hits, and Bubbie Spake hit a solo home run - his fourth of the year - in the eighth.
In the first, singles on consecutive pitches from Bunting and Michael put runners on the corner for All-America Dustin Ackley, who scored Bunting from third on an RBI fielder's choice for a 1-0 Carolina lead.
Gardner-Webb tied the score in the top of the second when an errant pickoff attempt by catcher Jacob Stallings allowed Ty Boyles to score from third with the bases loaded. A second runner scored on the play but was called out on appeal for not touching third base, and Gaines struck out Jon Ahern looking to end the inning with limited damage.
The Tar Heels regained the lead in the bottom of the third on back-to-back run-scoring doubles from Gore and Fleury. Michael reached on an error, and walks to Ackley and Seager loaded the bases for Gore, who doubled to right center to score two. Fleury followed with a double down the right field line to plate Gore and give Carolina a 4-1 lead.
The Bulldogs trimmed the lead in half in the fifth when Ahern doubled past the third base bag, stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Daniel Cooke.
Fleury's grand slam highlighted a seven-run sixth as the Tar Heels broke the game open. Bunt singles from Stallings and Bunting put two on for Michael, who doubled to left center to drive in Stallings. Ackley walked to load the bases, and Seager followed with a single to third to send Bunting to the plate. Two batters later, Fleury sent an 0-1 offering from Kyle Paeplow out to right for the first grand slam in the newly-renovated stadium and a 10-2 lead.
The Tar Heels open ACC action this weekend with a three-game series with No. 18 Clemson beginning Friday at Boshamer Stadium. Game times are 3 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. A webcast of the first two games will be available live and on-demand through ACC Select.
