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Virginia Baseball Drops Close Contest To North Carolina, 7-6
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April 14, 2001
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The University of Virginia baseball team dropped a 7-6 decision to the North Carolina Tar Heels this evening at the Cary C. Boshamer Stadium. In a game plagued by nine errors, UNC came back from a 3-0 deficit to escape with a one run victory over the Cavaliers.
UVa jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when David Stone reached base on an error by UNC’s right fielder Jeremy Cleveland. Stone then stole second base before scoring a run on an RBI-single to right field by Shawn McCleary.
Virginia also scored its second run of the game on an error by North Carolina’s third baseman Chris Maples in the top of the fourth inning when he overthrew catcher Ron Braun on a play at home plate on the Cavaliers’ Robert Word. Maples’ throw was high which allowed Word to cross the plate before Stone scored Chris Sweet to give UVa a 3-0 lead.
North Carolina got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning with two runs when Ralph Roberts scored on an RBI-sacrifice fly to left field by Sean Farrell before Jason Howell scored on an RBI-ground out by Braun to make it a 3-2 contest.
Virginia scored two more runs in the top of the sixth inning to pull out to a 5-2 lead when Sweet and Vroman each scored a run on RBI’s by Stone and McCleary, respectively. However, UNC answered right back in the bottom half of the inning with two runs of its own when Chad Prosser and Cleveland each scored a run to pull the Tar Heels within one run of the Cavaliers at 5-4.
After UVa went scoreless in the top of the seventh inning, North Carolina took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning by scoring three runs to gain a 7-5 advantage. UNC’s Braun walked and Adam Greenberg singled to reach base and each base runner scored a run before Russ Adams crossed the plate and scored the eventual game-winning run to make it a two-run lead for the Tar Heels.
The Cavaliers made a ninth inning rally and pulled within one run of the Tar Heels when Rob Newton scored on an RBI-single by Sweet. However, UNC’s Kevin Brower ended the game by striking out UVa’s Jeff Kamrath to end the game, giving the Tar Heels a 7-6 win.
Brower (3.0 innings, three hits, one run, four strikeouts) improved to 2-1 on the season after replacing starter Ralph Robert who pitched 6.0 innings and allowed five runs (none earned) on five hits with a game-high five strikeouts. UVa’s Dan Street (2-4) went the distance for the Cavaliers by going 8.0 innings and gave up seven runs (four earned) on eight hits to go along with two strikeouts.
With the loss, Virginia’s record falls to 18-20 overall, 5-12 in the ACC while the victory improves North Carolina’s record to 23-17 overall, 5-9 in the conference.
The Cavaliers and Tar Heels will return to action on Sunday, April 15th at 1:30 p.m. to play the final game of the three-game series. The contest will take place at the Cary C. Boshamer Stadium on the campus of UNC.