University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
William & Mary
No. 13 Tar Heels Roll Past W&M, 17-2
April 21, 2016 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL --- Brandon Riley drove in four runs and No. 13 North Carolina matched its season high with 17 runs in a 17-2 win over William & Mary Wednesday night at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels hit double figures in runs for the 14th time this year and improved to 17-3 in non-conference games with the victory. Cole Aker worked two scoreless innings out of the bullpen to pick up his third win.
Carolina (26-12) jumped on W&M starter Robert White for three runs in the first and never let up against six Tribe relievers. Logan Warmoth, who returned after missing Tuesday's game with a shoulder injury, started the scoring with an RBI single before a pair of sac flies made it 3-0. Brian Miller's two-run double highlighted a four-run second, and the rout was on from there.
Jason Morgan made his first midweek start of the year and retired the first 10 batters he faced before allowing a pair of runs in the fourth. Aker (3-1), J.T. Rogoszewski and Brendon Little combined for five scoreless innings of relief out of the Carolina bullpen.
Riley's career night at the plate included RBI singles in the second and seventh as well as a pair of sacrifice flies. His second sac fly came in the four-run seventh, with Zack Gahagan's two-run single capping the scoring on a night when the Tar Heels matched their season high of 17 runs. It was also the team's second 15-run win in as many Wednesdays following last week's 15-0 victory over No. 2 South Carolina in Charlotte.
Brian Miller, who drove in three runs and scored four times, also stole his 20th base of the season in the first. Miller is the first Tar Heel since Chaz Frank in 2013 to swipe 20 bags in a season and just the third since 2003.
Cullen Large had two hits and a run scored to lead William & Mary (17-20).
Next up for UNC is a pivotal three-game cross-division series at Wake Forest beginning Friday at 6 p.m.
