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Elon
Elon Clips Carolina 4-2
April 6, 2010 | Baseball
April 6, 2010
ELON, N.C. - Elon scored three of their four runs with two-outs to defeat No. 20 North Carolina 4-2 Tuesday night in front of 1839 fans at Latham Park. Mike Cavasinni led Carolina with two hits as the Tar Heels fall to 20-11 on the year. The Phoenix never trailed in the game to improve to 20-10 overall.
Garrett Davis (3-3) suffers the loss, lasting only 1.2 innings. Davis allowed two runs on two hits and walked three. Zach Bernard tossed a frame of shutout ball, allowing just one hit.
"We are not a team who can win with only one or two guys going offensively, we need six or seven guys to hit well," said head coach Mike Fox. "We only allow four runs and six hits then we should be able to win the game."
Greg Holt was solid in relief, matching his career-best with 2.2 innings of work. Holt allowed one run on one hit while striking out four. Chris Munnelly allowed one run on two hits in an equal amount of work.
Ken Ferrer (5-1) improves to 5-1 allowing just one run on five hits in 5.2 innings. Elon used five relievers that combined to allow just one run while scattering three hits. Thomas Girwood earned his second save of the season, throwing 1.1 shutout innings to seal the Phoenix win.
The Tar Heels notched eight hits, but left 10 base runners of base. Cavasinni stretched his hit streak to 13 games, just one shy of his career-high. Levi Michael added a hit and RBI, along with Brett Knief. Jacob Stallings added a one hit in four at-bats.
The Phoenix flashed out to a 2-0 lead in the first frame. A two-out double off the bat of Ryan Adams scored Justin Hilt, who reached on a leadoff walk. Adams later moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a RBI infield single from Neal Pritchard. Michael made a diving stop at third, but was unable to get Pritchard at first as Adams crossed the plate.
Davis labored early getting behind in the count against the Elon batters. The sophomore worked into the second inning, retiring two batters but was plagued by three walks. Bernard inherited two base runners and escaped the inning with a line out to center field.
The Tar Heels threatened in the third inning with runners at first and second with no out, but could not manufacture any runs. Ferrer benefited from a pair of fly outs to end the threat as Carolina left five runners on base through the first three frames.
Carolina finally got on the board in the fifth frame scoring one run on two hits. Stallings led off the inning with a double and later scored after a two-out single off the bat of Michael. Ferrer escaped the threat picking off Michael at second base for the final out of the inning.
Elon extended their lead to 3-1 in the sixth after a full count home run off the bat of Matt Hinson. After an error charged to Michael at third, Holt was then relieved by Munnelly. The freshman entered with one out and a runner at second base, but wriggled out of the jam with a groundout and strikeout.
Carolina built another threat in the top of the seventh after an Elon error allowed Ben Bunting to reach base safely. Dillon Hazlett, who entered at third for Michael, then reached on an infield single. Both advanced to second and third on stolen bases. Bunting was nearly picked off on third after an errant pitch from Webb drifted Bunting off the bag and resulted in the ejection of Elon head coach Mike Kennedy. Jesse Wierzbicki then grounded out to second to end the eventful half inning.
A two-out pinch-hit Brett Knief single scored Ryan Graepel in the top of the eighth as Carolina inched closer toward the Elon lead at 3-2. Stallings then tattooed a deep fly out to left center off newly inserted Elon pitcher Thomas Girwood to preserve the one run lead.
Elon added a big insurance run again with two outs with a two-out RBI double off the bat of Scott Riddle. Girwood then shut the door in the ninth retiring the Tar Heels in order.
Carolina will be back in action this weekend hosting rival NC State for a three-game beginning Friday at 7 p.m.
