University of North Carolina Athletics
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No. 6 Carolina Drops Finale To No. 21 USC, 5-2
March 4, 2012 | Baseball
March 4, 2012
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - No. 6 North Carolina was unable to overcome a five-run fifth inning Sunday as No. 21 Southern California claimed the series finale, 5-2, at Boshamer Stadium. Jacob Stallings and Michael Russell contributed two hits apiece, while sophomore Hobbs Johnson retired all 11 batters he faced out of the bullpen.
The Tar Heels (8-2) nearly struck in the bottom of the first inning when Stallings connected on a potential two-run home run down the left field line but the ball drifted foul. USC starter Stephen Tarpley plunked Stallings later in the at bat to put a pair of runners on for Cody Stubbs before a failed double steal attempt would thwart the early rally.
Starter Chris O'Brien worked out of trouble in the second after allowing a one-out double to Jake Hernandez as the southpaw forced a ground out and a fly out to end the threat. The double was just one of three hits that O'Brien allowed through four shutout innings to start the game.
The Carolina bats came to life in the fourth when Jacob Stallings opened the frame with a line-drive double to the left center gap and trotted home when Cody Stubbs slapped a single into right center to make it 1-0.
O'Brien retired the eight and nine hitters to open the top half of the fifth before getting into trouble as the Trojans connected on four straight hits to end his day and give USC a 3-1 advantage.
Sophomore Shane Taylor came on in relief of O'Brien in the fifth and suffered a similar fate as USC tacked on two more runs with a pair of hits to cap off the two-out rally and give USC a 5-1 lead.
North Carolina loaded the bases in the sixth with one out but were only able to pull back one run on a wild pitch from Tarpley as the freshman left-hander escaped further damage and kept the Trojans in front 5-2.
Sophomore left-hander Hobbs Johnson relieved Taylor in the sixth and proceeded to mow down batters retiring the side in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings after retiring a pair in the sixth.
The Tar Heels were unable to get anything going in the late innings as USC claimed the 5-2 win and snapped North Carolina's seven game winning streak.
Tarpley notched the win, his first of the year, for the Trojans who improve to 8-3 on the year and reliever Martin Viramontes registered his second save.
Next up for the Tar Heels is a visit from in-state foe Davidson on Tuesday before a trip to Elon on Wednesday.
