University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Miami
White's One-Hitter Sends No. 4 Tar Heels Past No. 7 Miami
April 17, 2009 | Baseball
April 17, 2009
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - All-America right-hander Alex White fired North Carolina's first one-hitter since 1994 to lead the No. 4 Tar Heels past No. 7 Miami, 3-0, Friday at Boshamer Stadium. White faced only 28 batters - just one over the minimum - and struck out 10 to claim his first career complete-game shutout.
White, who improved to 6-1 with the victory, outdueled Miami lefty Chris Hernandez (4-3) in a meeting of the last year's ACC Pitcher of the Year and ACC Freshman of the Year. He allowed just one hit, a third-inning Dave DiNatale single, and issued only one walk in the eighth. In between, White set down 14 straight batters.
After working 8 1/3 in a tough-luck loss at Florida State last week, White would not be denied his second career complete game, as he struck out the side in the ninth to record his fifth career double-digit strikeout effort. Over his last four starts, all against top-20 opponents, White owns a 1.93 ERA, 36 strikeouts and has allowed only 17 hits in 32 2/3 innings. He has pitched at least seven innings in five straight starts and has six straight outings with at least eight strikeouts.
The one-hitter was the first by a Tar Heel since Brian Willman one-hit Clemson April 23, 1994, and the complete-game shutout was the program's first since Robert Woodard blanked Duke April 13, 2007. As a team, UNC now has a pair of one-hitters this season, as four pitchers combined on one versus Princeton March 17.
Fellow All-Americas Kyle Seager and Dustin Ackley provided all the offense White would need, as Seager was 3-for-4 with an RBI, and Ackley went 2-for-3 and drove in a run.
Hernandez worked 6 2/3 strong innings, holding the Tar Heels (29-10, 11-7 ACC) in check for much of the night. He allowed three runs, just two of which were earned, on eight hits and two walks, while striking out six. The lefty allowed just one unearned run until Carolina struck for two insurance runs in the seventh and ended his outing.
Seager, who extended his current hitting streak to 10 games, started a fourth-inning scoring rally with a single to left center. Levi Michael was then hit by a pitch to move Seager into scoring position, and Mark Fleury followed with a grounder to Miami first baseman Jason Hagerty, whose throw to second hit Michael in the back and allowed Seager to score the first run of the night.
Carolina missed an opportunity to break things open in the fifth when it loaded the bases with just one out, but Hernandez buckled down to strike out Seager and Michael to keep the deficit for the Canes (26-11, 11-8 ACC) at just 1-0.
The one-run cushion held up until UNC scored twice in the seventh with a two-out rally. Garrett Gore walked and scored when Ackley roped his ninth double of the season to center field, and Seager followed with a single up the middle to end the night for Hernandez and push advantage to the 3-0 final score.
The series continues at 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. Tomorrow's game will be televised locally by FSN South.
