University of North Carolina Athletics
No. 7 Tar Heels Complete Sweep With 9-7 Win
April 2, 2017 | Baseball
McGee's two-run shot in the first put Carolina up early, but Florida State (18-11, 6-6 ACC) responded emphatically. The Seminoles scored six times in 1.2 innings against Rodney Hutchison Jr., with Rhett Aplin's three-run homer knocking the UNC starter out of the game.
The Tar Heels chipped away at the FSU lead, however, getting one run in the fourth and two in the fifth against lefty starter Drew Parrish. For the second straight game the 'Noles were undone by their infield defense, which made five more errors that led to four unearned runs. The last came in the seventh, when Cody Roberts singled off Will Zirzow to score Tyler Lynn and give Carolina a 7-6 lead.
In the meantime the Tar Heels were getting stellar relief pitching for the third straight day, this time from junior Jason Morgan and sophomore Taylor Sugg. Morgan and Sugg combined for 6.0 innings of work and allowed just one run on two hits. FSU re-tied the game in the seventh on a Cal Raleigh single and looked poised to nose back in front, but Sugg retired Tyler Daughtry with the bases loaded to keep the game knotted at 7.
With a possible travel curfew looming, Carolina struck the final blow of the sweep in the ninth. Roberts singled off Chase Haney (1-1) with two gone in the inning before Busch drove a 1-0 fastball out to right center, setting off a wild celebration in front of the UNC dugout.
Tyler Baum (4-0), who entered the game in the eighth for his first career relief appearance, retired the heart of the FSU lineup in order in the ninth to get the win and cap a memorable weekend for the Tar Heels.
Logan Warmoth had three of Carolina's season-high 15 hits one day after having his 42-game reached base streak snapped. He also played outstanding defense throughout a series that saw the hosts commit a combined 11 errors to zero for UNC.
The sweep is the first for UNC over FSU since 2002 and the first in program history over the Seminoles in Tallahassee. Carolina entered the weekend with a 7-22 record at Dick Howser Stadium since Florida State joined the ACC.
The Tar Heels will return home for a Tuesday night matchup with East Carolina at Boshamer Stadium before hitting the road again next weekend at Boston College.
