University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Wake Forest
Tar Heels Open ACC Play In Style
March 11, 2011 | Baseball
March 11, 2011
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - No. 14 North Carolina opened the 2011 Atlantic Coast Conference campaign on a positive note as the Tar Heels claimed a 7-1 win over Wake Forest (4-9) Friday night at Wake Forest Baseball Park. Patrick Johnson struck out a season-high nine batters, while improving to 3-0 on the year with a 1.07 ERA.
Jesse Wierzbicki paced the offense with a pair of extra base hits, while Ben Bunting drove in three runs.
Senior Patrick Johnson struck out a season-high nine batters and did not allow a run over 5.2 innings as he claimed his third win of the season. Johnson and Wake Forest starter Austin Stadler combined to allow two hits apiece through the opening three innings.
The Tar Heels finally got to Stadler in the top of the fourth as the offense erupted for six runs on five hits putting Carolina in control of the contest.
Levi Michael started things off with a single that snapped a mini-slump for the preseason All-America before Jacob Stallings picked up a walk and a fielder's choice off the bat of Colin Moran put runners at the corners.
Jesse Wierzbicki extended his hit streak to a season-best seven games when he drove a pitch into the left center field gap scoring Michael on the play and setting Carolina up for a big inning.
Following a strikeout, Greg Holt drew a walk to load the bases for freshman Jeff Bouton. The Wilmington, N.C., native hit a slow roller to third which Bouton beat out to put Carolina in front 2-0.
With the bases still loaded Ben Bunting delivered the dagger as he laced a ball down the right field line that cleared the bases and blew the game open for the Tar Heels. Tommy Coyle would provide the inning's final run with a single through the right side that plated Bunting.
The six-run inning was the 16th inning this season that the Tar Heels scored four runs or more.
The Tar Heels tacked on a run in the seventh when Wierzbicki lined a ball to right center for a triple before Wake Forest reliever Matt Jones failed to come to a stop and was called for a balk making the score 7-0.
Johnson departed in the sixth after registering his eighth and ninth strike outs of the night. With runners on first and second freshman Tate Parrish came on and picked up a strikeout to get out of the sixth.
Carolina was held hitless over the final four frames by the duo of Jones and Daniel Marrs.
The Demon Deacons struck for a run in the seventh before Greg Holt came on for the final 2.1 innings.
The Tar Heels extended their season long winning streak to eight games and sit at 14-1 on the year after the win. Carolina opened the ACC season with a win for the second straight year after dropping the conference opener in 2008 and 2009.
Carolina will send local native Chris Munnelly to the hill on Saturday as he will face Wake Forest's Tim Cooney.
