University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Charlotte
No. 4 Carolina Handles Charlotte, 4-1
May 12, 2009 | Baseball
May 12, 2009
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - All-America Dustin Ackley was 2-for-3 with a two-run single in the fifth inning, and No. 4 North Carolina's bullpen went seven strong innings to lead the Tar Heels to a 4-1 win over Charlotte Tuesday at Hayes Stadium.
Carolina left-hander Brian Moran (6-1) retired all nine batters faced over three innings, fanning six of them. He entered with the bases full of 49ers in the third and struck out three straight batters to end the threat. Moran, who also set down the 49ers in order in the fourth and fifth, won for the third time in his last six outings. He now has 73 strikeouts to just four walks this season.
Greg Holt worked the final 2 2/3 innings for a career-long outing and his first save for the Tar Heels (39-13). He allowed just one hit and struck out two. Logan Munson also pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief.
Ackley, who has hit safely in six straight, recorded his fifth multi-hit game in six chances this month and his 100th career game with at least two base hits. Mike Cavasinni singled and scored two runs after missing the last three games with a concussion. Carolina left a season high 13 runners on base, and the teams combined to strand 26.
Charlotte starter Andrew Smith (2-8) went 4 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on five hits and three walks, while striking out four. Rob Lyerly and Alan Parks each had two hits for the 49ers (30-19).
Both teams missed on chances to get on the board in the second, as the Tar Heels singled three times and stranded two, and Charlotte could not take advantage of two singles and two walks by UNC starter Patrick Johnson and left the bases loaded.
The 49ers loaded the bases against Johnson in the third on a single, an error and a walk, but Moran came on to strike out the side and leave them loaded for a second straight frame. Johnson did not allow a run but gave up three hits and four walks over two-plus innings,
After Moran retired the 49ers in the fourth, the Tar Heels finally broke through in the fifth when Smith hit Cavasinni and walked Ben Bunting, and Levi Michael bunted both runners into scoring position for Ackley. The two-time All-America worked a full count from Charlotte reliever Tyler Pilkington before pulling a single through the right side to score both runners and give Carolina a 2-0 lead.
After Munson pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth, Carolina pushed the lead to 3-0 in the seventh on a bases-loaded walk to Kyle Seager. Cavasinni and Bunting singled and were again sacrificed to second and third by Michael. Ackley was intentionally walked with first base open, but Pilkington walked Seager to drive in an insurance run for the Tar Heels.
The 49ers found the scoring column in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead to 3-1 on Parks' run-scoring single, but reliever Holt came on to pick up two outs and strand two Charlotte runners.
Carolina extended its lead to three runs again in the top of the ninth when Michael walked and scored from second when Grant Bomann misplayed a grounder off the bat of Mark Fleury for the 4-1 final margin.
The Tar Heels close the regular season with a three-game set at Boston College beginning Thursday. The Tar Heel Sports Network's coverage of the series will be available on AM-1360 WCHL in Chapel Hill and on TarHeelBlue.com.
