University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Xavier
No. 3 Tar Heels Split Season Opening Doubleheader
February 17, 2012 | Baseball
Feb. 17, 2012
Box Score |
Photo Gallery 1 
|
Photo Gallery 2
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Sophomore Kent Emanuel opened the season with a six inning two-run performance as the Tar Heels claimed the first game of a doubleheader vs. Xavier Friday afternoon by a 10-2 margin. The Musketeers answered with a 10-4 win in the nightcap to pull the series even before Saturday's finale at 1 p.m. at Boshamer Stadium.
The win was Emanuel's eighth-straight win dating back to 2011 as the southpaw moved into the Friday starter role for the Tar Heels this season.
Tom Zengel, Jacob Stallings, Michael Russell and Colin Moran all finished the day with three hits apiece in the twinbill, while Stallings notched four RBI.
Game One
Carolina took a commanding four-run lead after the first inning in game one and never looked back en route to a 10-2 season-opening victory over Xavier.
Tommy Coyle opened the year as he finished 2011 by reaching base safely for the 30th consecutive game with a single to left field in the first. Colin Moran followed with a single of his own before Cody Stubbs was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Jacob Stallings.
The senior backstop lifted a pitch over the second baseman's head to plate Coyle and Moran and give Carolina a 2-0 advantage. The very next batter, Tom Zengel, went with a pitch and tallied a double into the left center gap to score two more runs for starter Kent Emanuel.
The sophomore left-hander kept the momentum in Carolina's favor by working a scoreless second inning and getting the Tar Heel bats back up to the plate.
Carolina took advantage of a pair of errors by Xavier's first baseman in the bottom half of the second to put runners on second and third with one out for junior Cody Stubbs.
Stubbs laced a double down the right field line to clear the bases and extend Carolina's lead to 6-0.
Xavier pulled a run back with a RBI double from Brian Bruening in the top of the third before both pitchers settled into a groove.
oth teams were held scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings before Xavier's Seth Willoughby connected on a solo home run to left field to open the sixth inning and cut UNC's lead to 6-2.
The Tar Heels answered in the bottom half with a leadoff triple off the bat of Tommy Coyle before Colin Moran picked up his first RBI of the season with a single to right.
Holding a 7-2 lead after the sixth the Tar Heels went to the bullpen as Emanuel's day was closed after allowing two runs on seven hits over six innings. Emanuel struck out three, while not walking a batter.
Shane Taylor would throw a pair of scoreless innings before Hobbs Johnson and Mason McCullough combined on a scoreless ninth to seal the victory after Carolina tacked on three runs over the seventh and eighth innings.
Game Two
The nightcap saw Xavier get to starter Chris O'Brien for a pair of runs in the second, while Musketeer starting pitcher Jon Richard kept the Tar Heels in check.
Carolina was held hitless over the first three frames before a strange play kept the fourth inning alive. Cody Stubbs popped a ball up on the infield that the first baseman was unable to handle as it drifted back into play just over the first base bag.
Freshman Michael Russell followed by lining a ball up the middle for the first hit of the game but the threat would be stopped there.
Xavier struck for three more runs in the top half of the fifth thanks to four hits in the inning.
The Tar Heels finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth as Tommy Coyle drew a leadoff walk before Moran lined a double just inside the right field line to put two runners in scoring position for Stallings.
Stallings ripped a double inside the third base bag to plate both Coyle and Moran to break up the shutout. Russell followed two batters later with a ball that would find grass between a pair of diving outfielders in left field to score Stallings.
A Tom Zengel single would put runners on the corners with one out but the Musketeers were able to escape trouble with a double play to end the inning.
The bottom of the seventh inning saw Chaz Frank knock a one-out single and followed by tormenting Xavier pitcher Alex Vice into several throws to first. One toss to first eventually got away and Frank raced around the bases to third. Coyle lifted a ball to deep center field which Frank was able to tag up on and score cutting the deficit to 5-4.
Xavier tacked on two more runs in the top of the eighth to stretch its lead to 7-4. Carolina was unable to put anything together in its half of the eighth inning before the Musketeers tacked on three runs in the ninth.
Carolina was held in check in the ninth and fell by a 10-4 margin. The Tar Heels and Musketeers will wrap up the series Saturday with first pitch set for 1 p.m.
Freshman Benton Moss will start for the Tar Heels, while Xavier will counter with junior Tyler Koors.
