University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Virginia Tech
No. 15 Carolina Takes Series With 5-4 Win
March 19, 2011 | Baseball
March 19, 2011
BLACKSBURG, Va. - Freshman Kent Emanuel equaled a career high with nine strikeouts as No. 15 North Carolina held on for a 5-4 win at Virginia Tech (12-9, 0-5 ACC) to claim the series win over the Hokies. Tom Zengel drove in three runs for the Tar Heels who will look for the series sweep on Sunday at 1 p.m.
oth offenses were stifled through the first three innings as Carolina's Kent Emanuel and Virginia Tech's Marc Zecchino combined to allow just one hit apiece. The second time through the order proved to be a different story, however.
Jacob Stallings got things going with a seeing eye single through the right side of the infield with one out. Colin Moran was hit by a pitch moving Stallings into scoring position.
Zecchino would get Jesse Wierzbicki swinging before issuing a walk to Chaz Frank to load the bases for the freshman Tom Zengel. The designated hitter lined the first pitch he saw over the left fielder and into the left center field gap clearing the bases and giving Emanuel a comfortable 3-0 cushion.
Emanuel was dealing from the onset as he struck out at least two batters in the first three innings. The Hokies managed a single in the bottom of the first but Emanuel quickly picked off Tim Smalling to erase any threat from Virginia Tech.
The Tar Heels added a run in the fifth as Ben Bunting led off with a triple to dead center field before Levi Michael hit a high chopper over a drawn in infield for his 20th RBI of the year.
The Hokies picked up a lead off double in the bottom of the fifth but Emanuel was able to work out of trouble and keep a zero on the scoreboard. The sixth inning was slightly different for Emanuel, however, as Gabe Ortiz led off with a solo home run to pull Virginia Tech within three (4-1).
A two-out double and RBI single by Ronnie Shaban cut Carolina's lead in half before Emanuel forced a pop out to Tommy Coyle at second base to end the inning.
Carolina responded with another run in the seventh when Stallings drew a two-out and moved to second on a balk when Virginia Tech's Jake Joyce failed to come to a stop on a 1-2 delivery to Colin Moran.
Moran battled through the rest of the at bat working the count full before dropping a single in front of a sliding left fielder to score Stallings and extend the Tar Heels lead to 5-2.
Emanuel trotted back out for the seventh and needed just seven pitches to force three consecutive fly outs.
The bottom of the eighth saw the end of Emanuel's day as he issued only his second walk of the afternoon making way for Greg Holt. The senior right-hander picked up back-to-back fly ball outs before getting a crucial punch out to end the eighth.
Ronnie Shaban tallied a single to lead off the bottom of the ninth off Holt bringing an end to the senior's day on the mound. Cody Penny came on getting a pair of ground outs but a run-scoring triple and run-scoring double put the game-tying run at second base for the Hokies. Penny settled in and was able to sit down Ortiz swinging for his fourth save of the year.
Emanuel improves to 3-1 on the year with the win and has now struck out nine batters in two starts this season.
Michael Morin will take the hill on Sunday as the Tar Heels look for the series sweep of the Hokies with first pitch slated for 1 p.m.
