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NCAA Regional: UNC 7 Cornell 4

At least it didn't go 21 innings.

UNC opened up the NCAA Tournament with a 7-4 win over Cornell in the Chapel Hill Regional.

The Heels jumped out to a 5-0 lead through the fifth inning. Hobbs Johnson was not tremendously sharp but effective through five innings. In the sixth, Johnson gave up a two run home run to Cornell's Brian Billigen to make it 5-2 and bring R.C. Orlan into the game. However severe weather moved in forcing an hour and eleven minute delay.

After the delay Orlan gave up a run followed UNC tacking on two more in the bottom of the 6th. Cornell managed to plate a run off Luis Paula in the 8th before Tate Parrish, Chris McCue and Michael Morin finished the game off. For Morin it was his 18th save of the season which ties the UNC single season record for saves.

The big news of the day was Colin Moran's line. After a 2-14 performance in the ACC Tournament, Moran went 4-5 versus Cornell with a run scored and RBI. Moran put work in with hitting coach Scott Jackson during the week and it appears to have paid off as he came out of the gate hitting the ball. Jacob Stalling and Adam Griffin both chipped in two RBIs. Griffin also hooked up with Stallings to throw a Cornell runner out at the plate in the top of the 5th.

UNC moves into the winner's bracket where the Heels will face St. John's in a rematch of a game played in late February in Chapel Hill.