University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Maine
Maine Upends North Carolina 5-3
February 27, 2010 | Baseball
Feb. 27, 2010
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - A two-run two out home run off the bat of Ian Leisenheimer drove Maine to a 5-3 win over No. 11 North Carolina Saturday in front 1015 fans at Boshamer Stadium. Maine (1-4) led the entire game recording their first victory of the season. North Carolina falls to 5-1 on the year.
Patrick Johnson (1-1) took the tough decision after allowing only one earned run and scattering nine hits in six innings. Freshmen Chris Munnelly and Zach Bernard each pitched in relief, as well as Greg Holt. Munnelly rendered the two-RBI home run to Leisenheimer in the seventh.
Jeffrey Gibbs (1-0) registered his first win of his collegiate career. The Toronto, Ontario native stymied the Tar Heels allowing two runs on just three hits and striking out seven Tar Heel batters in 5.1 innings. Steve Perakslis registered his first save of his career in the win.
Offensively, the Tar Heels only recorded five hits while leaving eight runners on base. Ben Bunting (2-for-4) registered two of the Tar Heels' five hits in the game. Brian Goodwin (1-for-4, two RBI) hit a two-run home run in the sixth, his first of his career. Senior Mike Cavasinni (1-for-3) extended his hit streak to a career best 12 games.
Maine struck early in the first inning, with a pair of singles by Michael Fransoso and Tony Patane. A sacrifice bunt from Joey Martin advanced the runners to second and third, and then a two-out error on a sharply hit ball to the shortstop off the bat of Tyler Patzalek scored Fransoso. Johnson escaped the inning with a groundout as Maine pushed in front 1-0.
Gibbs kept the Tar Heel batters off balance early allowing just one hit through the first four innings.
Maine got another run on the board in the top of the fourth off the bat of Myckie Lugbauer. Lugbauer laced a double off the wall in left center, but advanced to score on an errant throw from Tommy Coyle that went into the dugout. Johnson allowed two unearned runs through four innings after two Tar Heel errors.
Bunting ripped his second and the team' s second base hit in the fifth, but the Tar Heels had nothing to show for it.
Maine extended their lead to 3-0 in the top of the sixth. A two-out RBI single off the bat of Justin Leisenheimer scored Kyle Stilphen. Johnson allowed his first earned run in the sixth.
Carolina finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth. A walk issued to Levi Michael led to a two-RBI home run off the bat of Goodwin. The home run was the first of Goodwin's career and first for a Tar Heel freshman in 2010.
The home run closed the book on Gibbs, as Steve Perakslis came on in relief in the bottom of the sixth.
Munnelly relieved Johnson in the seventh and quickly retired the first two Black Bears he faced. A two-out walk led to a towering home run off the bat of Leisenheimer. The two-run home run gave Maine a 5-2 lead after seven innings.
Bernard came on the eighth to pitch for the Tar Heels and quickly retired the Black Bears hitters. Jacob Stallings rifled a throw to gun down George Tager's stolen base attempt at second base, helped Bernard get out of the inning.
Carolina came alive in the eighth after two walks to start the inning. An RBI single off the bat of Dillon Hazlett scored Coyle. A wild pitch advanced Hazlett and Goodwin to second and third, but the Tar Heels failed to capitalize still trailing 5-3 after eight innings.
Holt entered the game in the ninth and retired three of the four Black Bears batters he faced.
Cavasinni led off the bottom of the frame with a base hit to center field. Pinch-hitter Jesse Wierzbicki flied out to left field, then a fielder's choice and fly out to center ended the game, as the Black Bears took the contest 5-3.
The series finale will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at Boshamer Stadium.
