April 14, 2009
Box Score
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -
Billy Alvino was 3-for-5 with five RBI, and Alphie Wheeler went 4-for-5 with three runs scored to lead High Point past No. 4 North Carolina, 11-9, Tuesday at Boshamer Stadium. The Panthers (14-17) tallied 16 hits and scored three runs in the first, seventh and eighth innings en route to the win.
Reliever Jeremy Berg (3-1) held the Tar Heels scoreless on just one hit over the final 2 2/3 innings. He struck out the side in the eighth against the top of the Carolina order and allowed only a Mark Fleury single in the ninth.
Led by Alvino and Wheeler, six Panthers recorded multi-hit games, including the top four hitters in the order. Bill Manion added three hits, two runs and three RBI.
Reliever Logan Munson (1-1) took the loss for the Tar Heels (27-10) after walking the go-ahead run in the eighth inning.
Fleury, who was 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, Garrett Gore and Mike Cavasinni recorded two hits on the night. Cavasinni, who was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, notched his third straight multi-hit game, while Gore went 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. Levi Michael drove in a team-high two runs.
Carolina found itself down three runs before it came to the plate, as Manion delivered an RBI double and Alvino and Kyle Mahoney followed with run-scoring groundouts in the first, but the Tar Heels came right back with four of their own to grab a 4-3 lead.
Following a one-out walk to Ryan Graepel, Dustin Ackley reached on a fielder's choice and Kyle Seager, who scored two runs on the night, was hit by a pitch to put two on for the Tar Heels. Gore slapped a single through the left side to score Ackley, and Fleury singled to right to drive in Seager. High Point right fielder Spencer Andrews misplayed Fleury's hit, allowing Gore to cross the plate with the tying run. Fleury took second on the error and scored on Michael's RBI single to center.
High Point tied the game at four in the third when Wheeler doubled and scored from third on a wild pitch by UNC starter
Jimmy Messer, and put two on in the fourth before reliever
Matt Harvey fanned Pablo Rosario to end the threat.
Sparked by a double from Cavasinni, Carolina went for two in the bottom of the fourth to retake the lead. Fleury walked and Cavasinni dropped a double into left center to put two in scoring position for Jacob Stallings, who drove the first pitch he saw to center for a sacrifice fly and a 5-4 advantage. Ben Bunting followed with a single up the middle to score Cavasinni for a two-run cushion.
After High Point scratched out an unearned run in the fifth, Ackley led off the bottom of the inning with his eighth double and scored when Seager sent a single through the right side to regain the two-run lead.
The Panthers struck for three against Harvey in the seventh to gain their first advantage since the first. After an inning-opening error by Michael, Wheeler's fourth hit of the night scored Jeff Cowan from second to bring HPU within a run. Manion singled and Alvino doubled to center to score both Wheeler and Manion to give the Panthers an 8-7 lead.
UNC responded with two more in the bottom of the inning against reliever Zach Scott, who issued four walks in the frame. Two free passes and Gore's second single of the night loaded the bases, and Michael and Cavasinni drew back-to-back walks to drive in two runs and regain the lead for the Tar Heels at 9-8.
High Point answered once again in the eighth with three more off the UNC bullpen. A single off Harvey, a walk by Munson and a single off Colin Bates loaded the bases for Manion, who singled through the right side to give the Panthers the lead yet again. Alvino followed with his third straight hit to drive in the third run of the inning and give HPU its largest advantage since the first at 11-9.
Harvey worked 3 1/3 out of the Tar Heel bullpen and allowed five runs (three earned) on seven hits. He stuck out five and did not issue a walk. Messer allowed four runs on four hits and two walks over 3 2/3.
High Point starter Brian Jones was charged with seven runs (six earned) on eight hits and three walks over four-plus innings.
The Tar Heels are back in action Wednesday against Winthrop at Boshamer Stadium at 6 p.m.
