University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
No. 17 Tar Heels Win Series At Georgia Tech
March 22, 2015 | Baseball
ATLANTA --- Benton Moss returned to pitch six innings and strike out eight as No. 17 North Carolina topped No. 21 Georgia Tech 5-1 Saturday evening at Russ Chandler Stadium. The win gave the Tar Heels, who dropped the first of two Saturday 6-5, their first series win in Atlanta since 2009 and just their second in eight trips under Mike Fox. Korey Dunbar hit his second home run of the weekend in the finale and finished the series with five extra-base hits.
Carolina (14-9, 5-4 ACC) scored first in all three games of the series and never trailed in game three Saturday. A Tyler Ramirez sac fly drove in Brian Miller in the top of the first and Dunbar's solo homer restored the advantage after Georgia Tech (16-7, 5-4 ACC) responded with three hits and a run in the bottom of the inning.
That would prove to be enough for Moss and Trent Thornton, who worked three perfect innings to pick up his fourth save. The two right-handers combined for 13 strikeouts and just one walk against the Yellow Jacket lineup, which played the final four innings without star freshman Kel Johnson. Johnson, who homered Friday and has seven on the year, left with a leg injury after colliding with Zack Gahagan in the fifth.
The Tar Heels added insurance runs in the sixth and seventh against the Tech bullpen on an RBI fielder's chioce, a wild pitch and an error.
Saturday night's win came after the Ramblin' Wreck rallied from a 5-0 hole to take the middle game. Carolina looked to be in control with J.B. Bukauskas on the mound and a five-run lead after Alex Raburn's fourth inning grand slam. The slam, which came with two out against starter Brandon Gold, was Raburn's second homer of the week and first career grand slam.
But Tech began to chip away in the sixth and eventually won it against UNC bullpen stalwart Trevor Kelley. Bukauskas, who struck out six and walked four, departed with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth. Kelley then gave up a two-run single to Ryan Peurifoy before the Jackets tied it in the eighth with three straight two-out hits.
The hosts won it in the ninth when senior Thomas Smith singled home Johnson, handing Kelley (2-1) his first loss of the year. Zac Ryan, who pitched a 1-2-3 top of the ninth out of the Tech bullpen, improved to 5-0 with the win.
Ultimately, however, the win in the nightcap meant it was a good weekend for the Tar Heels, who improved to 9-15 at Russ Chandler under Fox.
In addition to Dunbar's stellar performance, Atlanta area native Skye Bolt had a strong series at the plate for UNC. The junior center fielder reached base nine times in 13 plate appearances with two doubles and four runs scored in his first career action in the Georgia capital.
Carolina returns to Chapel Hill for a four-game homestand starting Tuesday at 6 p.m. against Appalachian State.
