University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
Carolina Drops Opener To Georgia Tech, 11-4
April 20, 2012 | Baseball
April 20, 2012
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - No. 6 North Carolina fell into an early 4-0 hole and was unable to climb back out Friday night as Georgia Tech took the series opener, 11-4, at Boshamer Stadium. Kent Emanuel suffered the loss for the Tar Heels (28-11, 12-7 ACC) despite matching a season high with nine strikeouts. The teams will meet in a doubleheader set for 12 p.m. on Saturday to conclude the series.
The Yellow Jackets (23-16, 8-11 ACC) put up a pair of runs in both the second and third innings against Emanuel thanks to a pair of two out hits in the second inning. Mott Hyde doubled down the left field line with a runner on first and two outs before lead off man Kyle Wren sliced a triple into the left field corner to give starter Buck Farmer a 2-0 lead.
Emanuel quickly retired the first two batters to open the third before the Yellow Jackets chipped away once again. A single and a walk put a pair of runners on base before Thomas Smith doubled into the right center gap just past the outstretched arm of center fielder Chaz Frank. The two-run double made it 4-0 in favor of Georgia Tech.
Carolina clawed back in the bottom of the fifth when the first two batters in the inning reached base thanks to a Michael Russell walk and a Brian Holberton single up the middle.
Mike Zolk dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt and Adam Griffin drove in Carolina's first run with a ground out to the shortstop. Parks Jordan followed with a double to left center to score Holberton and make it a 4-2 game.
Georgia Tech blew the game open in the seventh inning when it pushed across three runs on just one hit thanks to three Tar Heel errors.
The Yellow Jackets tacked on four more runs in the top of the eighth to take the 11-2 lead to the bottom of the eighth.
Carolina loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the eighth thanks to a Cody Stubbs free pass against reliever Clay Dalton. Russell and Holberton followed with singles and Mike Zolk plated a pair with a two-run single to left center.
The Tar Heel rally would be cut short on a line drive double play and a line out to make it an 11-4 ball game after eight innings.
Holberton finished the night with three hits, while Parks Jordan and Michael Russell each contributed two hits in the setback.
Emanuel finished the night allowing four runs on six hits over five innings of work. The Woodstock, Ga. native walked three but equaled a season and career high with nine strikeouts.
Carolina and Georgia Tech will conclude the series on Saturday with a doubleheader set for 12 p.m. at Boshamer Stadium.
The second game will begin 40 minutes after the conclusion of the first game and the annual BaseBald event will take place on the field at the conclusion of the series.
