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North Carolina Defeats #19 Virginia In Game Two Of ACC Series, 8-4
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March 20, 2004
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The #19 ranked University of Virginia baseball team dropped its third consecutive game and its second contest in back-to-back meetings with the North Carolina Tar Heels after dropping an 8-4 ball game in an Atlantic Coast Conference game at Davenport Field at the UVa Baseball Stadium in front of a season-high 1,846 spectators. The Cavaliers rallied to tie the game three different times in the first, fifth and eighth innings, but the Tar Heels scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning to secure a four-run victory. North Carolina also defeated Virginia 5-3 in 11 innings on Friday (March 19th) in game one of the series.
UNC took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Greg Mangum singled to lead off the game before scoring a run two batters later on a sacrifice fly RBI to left-center field by Marshall Hubbard. But the Cavaliers answered right back in the bottom half of the inning and tied the game at 1-1 when Matt Street singled to lead off the side before he scored a run on a RBI ground-out to shortstop by Ryan Zimmerman.
The Tar Heels jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the top of the second inning when North Carolina scored two runs on pick-off attempts that went in their favor. UNC’s first run in the inning came when Sammy Hewitt, who was on third base, made his way to home plate and got caught in a rundown. He eventually made contact at home plate with UVa catcher Scott Headd and jarred the ball loose on the tag and scored a run to make the game 2-1. The Tar Heels then scored another run on a pick-off attempt when Mike Daniel got caught in a rundown between third base and home plate, but was able to score a run on a Cavalier throwing error to make it a 3-1 ball game.
UVa tied the game for the second time on the afternoon at 3-3 by scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. After Virginia’s Headd and Werman walked to lead off the side, the base runners advanced to second and third base with no outs on a wild pitch. In the Cavaliers’ next at-bat, Tim Henry reached base on a UNC throwing error that allowed Headd to score a run from third base to make the score 3-2. One batter later, Street grounded into a fielder’s choice that plated Werman from third base to tie the game at 3-3.
The score would remain tied at three apiece until the top of the eighth inning when North Carolina took a 4-3 lead. UNC’s Jay Cox walked to lead things off and eventually scored a run four batters later when Hewitt drew a walk with the bases loaded. But, as it had done twice before, Virginia tied the game for the third time, this time in the bottom of the eighth inning and made it a 4-4 contest. After Matt Dunn singled to reach base, Tom Hagan replaced him as a pinch runner and eventually came around to score a run when Headd grounded out to shortstop stop.
However, in the top of the ninth inning, North Carolina scored four unanswered runs to close out the game, including three runs which were courtesy of a three-run home run to left field by Chris Iannetta. Iannetta’s blast cleared the scoreboard in left field as the ball dropped into the shadows of Kl?ckner Stadium (UVa Baseball Stadium’s neighboring facility), lifting UNC to an 8-4 lead it would not relinquish. The Tar Heels’ pitcher Michael Gross struck out the UVa side to end the game in the bottom of the ninth inning.
UVa starting pitcher Matt Avery went 7.0 innings and allowed just three runs (two earned) on seven hits and fanned three batters in a no-decision. The Cavaliers’ Canon Hickman (3-2) took the loss after going 1.0 inning and allowed four runs on three hits and struck out one batter.
UNC starting pitcher Garry Bakker lasted 7.0 innings and allowed three runs on just three hits to go along with a game-high four strikeouts in a no-decision. Gross (2-0) picked up his second win of the year (both during the UVa/UNC series) after tossing 1.2 innings and allowed no runs or hits while striking out three batters.
With the loss, Virginia’s record falls to 17-5 overall, 3-2 in the ACC. The victory improves North Carolina’s record to 16-4 overall, 2-0 in the conference. UNC now leads UVa in the three-game series, 2-0. The Cavaliers have now lost a season-high three consecutive games.
Virginia and North Carolina will return to action on Sunday, March 21st when the Cavaliers and Tar Heels play the third and final contest of the three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM at Davenport Field at the UVa Baseball Stadium.
— UVa —