University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
Dunbar Powers No. 17 Carolina Past No. 21 Georgia Tech
March 21, 2015 | Baseball
ATLANTA --- Korey Dunbar's two-run homer in the ninth was the difference as No. 17 North Carolina won a 5-3 thriller over No. 21 Georgia Tech Friday night at Russ Chandler Stadium. Zac Gallen allowed two runs and struck out seven in 7.0 innings but Kel Johnson's two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth set the stage for Dunbar's heroics. Trevor Kelley worked a perfect ninth to secure his second save of the year for the Tar Heels, who improved to 13-8 and 4-3 in the ACC. Georgia Tech fell to 15-6 and 4-3 in league play.
Carolina jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the third off Georgia Tech starter Jonathan King. Dunbar led off the inning with a double to right center and scored on a Tyler Ramirez sac fly. Landon Lassiter, who had two hits on the day, took second on the play and later scored on a Skye Bolt RBI double. UNC's third double of the frame, courtesy of Logan Warmoth, plated Bolt to make it 3-0.
The Tar Heels would get nothing more against the Yellow Jacket lefty King, but it looked to be enough with Gallen in control. The sophomore from Gibbsboro, New Jersey, threw first-pitch strikes to 20 of 28 batters and struck out seven while walking none.
Daniel Spingola's leadoff single ended Gallen's night after 98 pitches, however, and Trent Thornton got the call to face the heart of the Georgia Tech lineup. After retiring Keenan Innis for the first out of the eighth, Johnson hit a 1-2 pitch just out to right to tie it at 3 and deny Gallen his second win of the year.
But his batterymate would negate Johnson's homer with one of his own in the ninth. After Adam Pate led off the inning with a single, Elijah Sutherland dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move the go-ahead run into scoring position. Dunbar, who is now hitting a team-best .347, then drove a 2-1 pitch from Matt Phillips out to center for his first long ball of the year to give Carolina a stunning 5-3 lead.
Kelley, who has appeared in a nation-leading 15 games, worked a 1-2-3 ninth against the bottom of the Tech lineup for his second save in as many chances. The senior from Wilmington fanned pinch hitter Daniel Gooden to end it, dropping his ERA to 0.96 in 28.0 innings in the process.
Pate joined Dunbar and Lassiter with two hits, while Bolt and Ramirez reached base three times apiece for UNC. Johnson and Connor Justus led Georgia Tech with two hits each, and Johnson's homer was his ACC-leading seventh of the year.
Carolina and Georgia Tech will play two games Saturday starting at 1 p.m. J.B. Bukauskas and Benton Moss are the scheduled starters for the Tar Heels.
