March 6, 2009
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -
No. 2 North Carolina rallied from an early four-run deficit, but No. 18 Clemson prevailed, 5-4, on a 10th-inning sacrifice fly from Matt Sanders Friday in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams at Boshamer Stadium. Ben Bunting had two hits and two RBI, and Levi Michael connected on his third home run to lead the Tar Heels (8-2).
Sanders went 2-for-4 with the game-winning RBI, Kyle Parker added two hits and Jeff Schaus hit a two-run home run for the Tigers (6-2), who snapped a four-game losing skid to Carolina.
Clemson reliever Tomas Cruz (1-1) earned the win with three innings of one-hit ball. UNC left-hander Brian Moran (0-1) was the tough-luck loser after matching a career-best 3 1/3 innings. He struck out five and allowed one run on one hit.
With the scored knotted at four, Wilson Boyd drew a one-out walk from Moran to start Clemson's scoring rally. Patrick Johnson allowed a single to Parker and a walk to Schaus to load the bases. Colin Bates then induced a fly ball to right off the bat of Sanders, but it was enough to score Boyd from third with the game-winner.
The go-ahead run was the first for Clemson since five consecutive hits led to a four-run second inning for against UNC starter Alex White. Schaus put the Tigers on the board with a two-run home run off the batter's eye in center, and Sanders and John Nester followed with back-to-back doubles to put two in scoring position. Addison Johnson drove in a run with an infield single, and Mike Freeman followed two batters later with an RBI groundout to close the scoring.
Carolina clawed right back in the bottom of the inning to trim the lead to 4-3. Singles from Garrett Gore and Mike Cavasinni sandwiched around a walk to Mark Fleury loaded the bases for Ryan Graepel, who drove in the first run with a sac fly to center. Bunting followed with a single through the left side on a 3-2 offering from Tiger starter Trey Delk to score two and bring the Tar Heels within a single run.
The bats went quiet for the most part until Michael tied the game in the seventh with his solo homer. The Welcome, N.C., product sent the first pitch he saw from Casey Harman out to left for his third home run, which shares the team lead. The homer was Michael's second this year from the right side.
Neither starter figured into the decision. White went six innings and allowed four runs on seven hits and one walk. He struck out six and gave up just two hits outside of the second inning. Delk went 2 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out three.
The series continues at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. A webcast of the Saturday's will be available live and on-demand through ACC Select.
