Last Week’s Results: Defeated UNC Asheville, swept Virginia
Record Last Week: 4-0
Overall Record: 27-9
ACC Record: 12-6, tied for 1st place in Coastal Divsion
Upcoming Schedule: 4/17 vs High Point. 4/18 vs Liberty, 4/20-4/22 vs Georgia Tech
Bounce back.
After last weekend's debacle at Miami where the Heels were shutout twice and swept, UNC needed to bounce back in impressive fashion to right the ship. They were able to do going 4-0 on the week and becoming the first ACC team since 2003 to leave Charlottesville, VA with a sweep. It was also the first sweep over Virginia in Charlottesville for UNC since 1994.
In the mid-week game, UNC scored four runs in the eighth inning to open up a one run game and take a 10-5 win over UNC Asheville. Parks Jordan had four RBIs on a single and two sacrifice flies. Chaz Frank and Michael Russell each chipped in a pair of RBIs. Mike Fox started the bullpen for this game. Yes, really. Hobbs Johnson opened the game with 3.1 innings before the usual parade of Tar Heel pitches started from the bullpen. Johnson ended up with the win.
On Friday, UNC got he kind of outing from Kent Emanuel you expect from your ace to take the first game of the series from Virginia 2-1 in ten innings. Emanuel, who has had his share of rough Friday starts of late, pitched eight innings of three hit ball giving up only one run. R.C. Orlan pitched the 9th(earning the win) and Michael Morin the 10th for his ninth save of the season. UNC's offense simply sputtered with ten hits and eleven left on base. However it was senior catcher Jacob Stallings' who stepped up to get the big hit in the tenth. Despite four strikeouts in four previous plate appearances on the day, Stallings homered with one out in the 10th to give UNC the lead and ultimately the win.
In the second game on Saturday, UNC took advantage of four UVa errors to clinch the series with a 6-2 win. Chaz Frank had a pair of RBIs and Adam Griffin, who has missed much of the season with a fractured ankle went 2-3 with an RBI and run scored. Chris Munnelly started for UNC and was part of a four pitcher effort that gave up two runs on seven hits.
The series finale had UNC chasing the sweep and jumping out to a 4-0 lead before holding off UVa for the 5-3 win. Freshman Benton Moss continues to pitch extremely well with a six inning, nine strikeout effort. Brian Hoberton plated a couple of runs in the second and Griffin again went 2-3 with a run scored and RBI. For the weekend Griffin was 6-11 and give the Heels a nice boost with Colin Moran out of the lineup. Michael Morin came in for the four out save and after putting two runners on with one out in the 9th got the double play to end the game for his tenth save of the season.
The series sweep of UVa coupled with Miami losing two of three to Virginia Tech draws UNC back into a first place tie with the Hurricanes in the Coastal Division. After two weekend road trips UNC returns to Chapel Hill for a 13 game home stand. Georgia Tech will come to town for a three game series starting on Friday and Miami will travel to Atlantic Division leader Florida State opening the door for the Heels to reclaim sole possession of first in the Coastal Division. UNC will play 16 of its final 21 games of the season at Boshamer Stadium. Such an extensive run at home puts UNC in a great position for a strong finish to the regular season