University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Wright State
Moran's Cycle Fuels UNC In 14-0 Win
February 25, 2012 | Baseball
Feb. 25, 2012
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - No. 4 North Carolina wrapped up its second-straight series victory Saturday with a 14-0 win over visiting Wright State at Boshamer Stadium. Sophomore third baseman Colin Moran turned in a career day at the plate by going 5-for-6 with six RBI and became the first Tar Heel since 2008 to hit for a cycle.
Moran turned in a natural cycle Saturday as he tallied a single in the first, a double in the third, a triple in the sixth and capped it off with a three-run home run in the seventh.
Moran's cycle was the first by a Tar Heel since Tim Fedroff accomplished the feat against UNC Greensboro on April 15, 2008. The Rye, N.Y., native also matched a career high with six RBI in the win.
Cody Stubbs joined the hit parade as well posting three of Carolina's 15 hits on the day, including a pair of doubles which gives him seven for the year in just five games.
Tommy Coyle matched a career high with four RBI in the win as he finished 2-for-4 on the afternoon and leadoff man, Chaz Frank, set a career high with four runs scored.
Starter Chris Munnelly did not need as much offense as he received Saturday as the veteran right-hander twirled a gem allowing just three hits over seven shutout innings in his first start of the year.
North Carolina struck for a pair of runs in the bottom half of the first as the Tar Heels forced Wright State starter Cody Kopilchack into more than 30 pitches in the inning by four walks in the inning. Chaz Frank and Tommy Coyle opened the game by both drawing free passes before Colin Moran tallied a RBI single to right for the first run of the game.
After a pair of strikeouts by Kopilchack Michael Russell walked to load the bases and Tom Zengel followed with a walk of his own to force in the second run of the inning.
Moran started the offense back up in the bottom of the third when he went with a pitch and poked a double down the line in left field before he moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt from Jacob Stallings. Cody Stubbs followed by getting underneath a ball but a drawn in infield was unable to get to the pop fly as it dropped into right field.
Carolina added two more in the fourth when Parks Jordan drove a ball into left field that got down in front of the left fielder and rolled all the way to the wall for a triple. Chaz Frank followed by earning a base on balls and then stole second base. Wright State brought in the infield again and Tommy Coyle flipped a pitch into left field to score both Jordan and Frank and give UNC a 5-0 lead.
Munnelly kept runners to a minimum throughout the day and used the double play ball to his advantage in both the fourth and fifth innings as the double play duo of Tommy Coyle and Mike Zolk closed out both frames.
Zolk used his bat in the bottom of the fifth to add a run for the Tar Heels with a RBI single before the Tar Heels tacked on two more runs in the sixth. Chaz Frank made his way to third before Colin Moran turned on a ball and sent it into the right field corner for a RBI triple to make it 7-0. Jacob Stallings would follow with a high chopper through the left side to score Moran and extend the lead to 8-0.
Moran struck again in the bottom of the seventh when he stepped in with runners on the corners and blasted a ball over the wall in right field to complete the natural cycle and become the first Tar Heel since Tim Fedroff in 2008 to hit for the cycle.
Munnelly went a career-long seven innings en route to the victory as he allowed just three hits and struck out three without allowing a run.
Carolina will go for the series sweep of the Raiders Sunday at 1 p.m. as the Tar Heels will send freshman left-hander Chris O'Brien to the mound and Wright State will counter with right-hander Lee Valencheck.
