University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Duke
No. 12 Tar Heels Take Series Opener, 8-5
March 25, 2011 | Baseball
March 25, 2011
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - No. 12 North Carolina overcame its largest deficit of the season to record an 8-5 win over rival Duke (15-9, 2-5 ACC) Friday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium. Freshman Brian Holberton drove in a career-high three RBI in the victory, while Tommy Coyle extended his hit streak to 13 games with a 3-for-4 effort. The Tar Heels and Blue Devils will do battle again on Saturday with first pitch slated for 12 noon.
The Tar Heels found themselves in an early hole Friday afternoon as the Blue Devils struck for four two-out runs in the top of the first. Starter Patrick Johnson forced a pair of fly outs before Jordan Betts singled through the left side. A hit batsman and a walk loaded the bases for Mark Tatera who hit a ball back up the box scoring two runs on the play.
The very next batter, Marcus Stroman, drove a pitch into the right center field gap for a single and scoring two more runs in the process. Johnson was able to work out of further trouble to close out the first.
The Tar Heels responded with a run in the bottom half of the first when Chaz Frank drew a one out walk and moved to third on Tommy Coyle's single through the right side, which extended Coyle's ACC-leading hit streak to 13 games.
Jacob Stallings hit a slow roller to third allowing Frank to score from third and cut the Duke lead to 4-1.
Johnson settled down after the shaky first inning facing the minimum over the next two frames to keep the Tar Heels in the contest.
Carolina used another patented two-out rally in the bottom of the third when Coyle registered his second hit of the afternoon with a bloop single into no-man's land in left field and moved to third on a single to center field off the bat of Jacob Stallings.
The ACC's leading RBI man Colin Moran delivered the big hit of the inning a single in to left center allowing Coyle to score.
Marcus Stroman tallied his second hit of the day in the top of the fourth and proceeded to steal third with one down but Johnson buckled down and picked up a big strikeout before forcing a slow roller to Moran at third for the final out of the inning.
The Tar Heel bats came out firing in the bottom of the fifth as Coyle notched his third single of the afternoon. Back-to-back walks to Stallings and Moran loaded the bases for Jesse Wierzbicki. The senior first baseman hit a ball past the diving shortstop and into center field scoring Coyle making the score 4-3 in the process.
Following a fly out to left field Brian Holberton came up with the clutch hit of the inning when he lifted a ball to left field which landed just in front of the sliding Anthony D'Alessandro. The ball rolled all the way to the left field wall allowing all three Tar Heel runners to score and putting Carolina in front 6-4.
Holberton would score on the very next play when Seth Baldwin lined out to left field for a sacrifice fly.
Stroman's third hit of the day, a double to right center in the seventh, would end Johnson's day as Shane Taylor came out of the pen for the Tar Heels. Taylor would get three straight outs but not before Stroman advanced to third on a ground out and scored on a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 7-5.
Freshman Tate Parrish came on for the top of the eighth and recorded back-to-back strikeouts before allowing a single. Closer Cody Penny came on to get the final out of the eighth via strikeout.
The Tar Heels added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth as Chaz Frank walked with two outs. A wild pitch and a throwing error moved Frank to third before another wild pitch allowed the left fielder to trot home for Carolina's eighth run of the game.
Penny only allowed a walk in the ninth to notch his fifth save of the year and seal up the series-opening win.
The middle of infield duo of Tommy Coyle and Brian Holberton each went 3-for-4 on the day as Coyle scored a pair of runs and Holberton drove in three of his own.
Johnson recorded the win after settling down after the shaky first as he improved to 5-0 on the year.
Freshman Kent Emanuel will take the mound for the Tar Heels on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 12 noon.
