University of North Carolina Athletics
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Duke
No. 12 Tar Heels Sweep Duke In Wild Finale
March 27, 2011 | Baseball
March 27, 2011
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Colin Moran blasted his fourth home run in five games when he connected on a game-tying three-run shot in the bottom of the ninth and Jacob Stallings singled in the game-winning run in the 11th as No. 12 North Carolina (23-3, 7-2 ACC) fought back for a 7-6 win over visiting Duke (15-11, 2-7 ACC) Sunday afternoon. The win was Carolina's ninth straight overall and sixth straight ACC victory.
After allowing a pair of run in the top of the ninth Carolina trailed 6-3 heading into its final at bat needing a rally to keep an eight-game winning streak alive.
Tommy Coyle extended his ACC-leading hit streak to 15 games when he hit a slow bouncer to shortstop that he was able to beat out. Pinch hitter Matt Roberts lifted the first pitch he saw into foul territory down the first base line as Dennis O'Grady made a basket catch for the first out of the inning.
Jacob Stallings followed with a liner down the right field line putting runners at the corners with one out for Moran. The freshman left-hander took Joe Pedevillano's 0-1 fastball and drove it to right center for a three-run game-tying home run.
en Grisz came on following the Moran home run and served up what appeared to be a double off the wall from Jesse Wierzbicki. As soon as the ball was returned to Grisz first base umpire Frank Sylvester called Wierzbicki out for missing first base on the play. Grisz would get the final out to extend the contest.
Michael Morin came on for the Tar Heels in the top of the 10th and struck out three of the four batters he faced. Grisz responded with a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the 10th forcing Morin to quickly head back out for the 11th.
Morin allowed a one-out single before his backstop, Jacob Stallings, made a heady play as Will Pwinca-Worms attempted to steal second base. The batter, Mark Tatera, swung and missed at a pitch and fell over home plate as Pwinca-Worms attempted to steal second and Stallings instinctively attempted to throw through Tatera to get the runner forcing home plate umpire Bruce Ravan to call Tatera out for batter's interference. Morin would force a fly out to end the inning and record his second scoreless frame.
Coyle led off the 11th with his second hit of the day a single into left center field and advanced to third when pinch hitter Tom Zengel dropped down a sacrifice bunt back to Grisz. The right-hander attempted to force out Coyle at second but his throw was high and sailed into center field allowing Coyle to reach third.
The Blue Devils pulled the infield in to cut down the potential game-winning run but Jacob Stallings hit a high chopper over the infield and into left field to score Coyle for the walk-off win.
The Tar Heels allowed the game's first run for the third consecutive game when starter Cody Stiles loaded the bases and threw a wild pitch to plate a two-out run. The Blue Devils tacked on an unearned run in the second on a sacrifice fly and forced the Tar Heels to play catch up the rest of the day.
The Tar Heels evened things up in the bottom of the fourth when Colin Moran doubled down the left field line and scored when Chaz Frank traded places with him with a double to the wall in right center. Following a ground out Seth Baldwin drove in the game-tying run with a single through the right side that plated Frank from second.
Duke responded with a single run in the top of the sixth when Angelo LaBruna tripled in Dennis O'Grady who led off the inning with a walk from reliever Chris Munnelly.
Ben Bunting answered for the Tar Heels with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh as the senior turned on a pitch and sent it over the right field fence for his first home run of the year to tie the game at 3-3.
The Blue Devils answered once again in the top of the eighth taking advantage of a wild pitch strikeout to open the inning. A sacrifice bunt and a single to center field put Duke in front 4-3.
The Tar Heels were unable to mount a rally in the eighth before Duke tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth.
Morin notched the win throwing two scoreless innings out of the bullpen as the Tar Heels used eight pitchers for the second consecutive Sunday ACC contest.
Moran and Bunting each finished with three hits apiece, while Coyle, Frank and Stallings all chipped in two hits on the day.
The win locked up a second consecutive ACC series sweep for the Tar Heels and added a point to Carolina's total in the Battle of the Blue competition, presented by Continental Tire, which the Tar Heels lead 10-8 over Duke now.
Up next for the Tar Heels is a trip to Charlotte to take on the 49ers on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
