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No. 1 Carolina Takes Opener From Terps, 7-4
April 24, 2009 | Baseball
April 24, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Kyle Seager and Mark Fleury homered and drove in three runs apiece to lead No. 1 North Carolina past Maryland, 7-4, in the opener of a three-game series Friday at Boshamer Stadium. All-America right-hander Alex White picked up the victory, as the Tar Heels (33-11, 14-7 ACC) won their fourth straight conference game.
Seager and Fleury finished with matching lines of 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI. Seager hit a two-run homer in the first, while Fleury connected on a three-run shot in the third. Ryan Graepel also finished with two hits on the night.
White (7-1) lasted at least six innings for the ninth straight start, working 6 2/3 and allowing four runs on seven hits. He struck out five and walked three. White, who moved into a tie for fifth in school history with his 26th victory, gave up just one run over the first six innings before running into trouble in the seventh.
With Carolina holding on to a two-run lead, lefty Brian Moran stranded a runner at third in the seventh and set down the Terps (20-22, 6-16 ACC) in order the rest of the way with five strikeouts over the final 2 1/3 to nail down his second save.
Maryland starter Scott Swinson (3-6) gave up six earned runs over the first three innings but settled down, working 7 1/3 innings. He allowed seven runs on nine hits and struck out seven. Mike Murphy drove in two runs, and Jensen Pupa had two hits to lead the Maryland at the plate.
After the Tar Heels were shut out Wednesday, Seager quickly made sure it would not happen again with a two-run home run, his third, in the first. Garrett Gore singled to right, Dustin Ackley reached on a fielder's choice and Seager drilled the first pitch he saw out to right for a 2-0 UNC lead and a 15-game hitting streak, one off his season best.
After Seager drove in his third run of the night with a third-inning single, Fleury sent the first pitch from Swinson out to right center for his second three-run homer this week and a six-run cushion for White. Fleury now leads UNC with 47 RBI to go along with his career-high nine homers.
Maryland snapped a run of 13 1/3 scoreless innings for White with a run in the fifth. Gerry Spessard sent a chopper through the right side, stole second and eventually scored on an RBI groundout by Alfredo Rodriguez to cut the lead to 6-1.
The Terps got back in the game with three in the seventh to end the night for White, who hit Rodriguez with two outs to start the rally. Pupa and Will Greenberg followed with singles to plate the first run, and Murphy tripled off the top of the center field wall to drive in two and trim the Tar Heel advantage to just two runs.
Moran entered at that point and struck out A.J. Casario looking to end the inning.
Carolina added some insurance in the eighth when Fleury singled, stole second and scored on a Graepel single. With Fleury on second, Graepel singled through the right side, but Casario misplayed the base hit. Fleury alertly took off from third to give the Tar Heels a 7-4 lead with his second run of the night.
The series continues at 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. A webcast of both games will be available via ACC Select. Carolina baseball trading cards will be given away to the first 1,500 fans through the gates Saturday.
