May 26, 2007
Box Score |
Quotes |
Notes
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -
North Carolina freshman Alex White hurled
seven shutout innings as the Tar Heels beat Virginia 5-0 on Saturday in
the ACC Baseball Championship and advanced to Sunday's title game.
White's performance was his best of the year, as he allowed just two
singles and four walks while striking out five. The right-hander only
allowed two runners to reach base in the same inning one time, that
coming in the sixth inning when he walked two batters.
"I felt I had to go out there and pitch it as hard as I could,
especially the first batter in each inning," White said. "Robert Woodard
gave me good advice before the game. He said, 'Just out-compete the
other players and just try to do the best that you can.'"
White (6-4) was locked in a scoreless pitcher's duel with Virginia's
Casey Lambert (2-2) through five innings. But the Tar Heels broke
through for a pair of runs in the sixth inning, scoring on Reid Fronk's
bloop single to center and adding another on a sacrifice fly by Garrett
Gore.
North Carolina (47-12, 21-9) tallied three times in the eighth inning
on four singles, none of which left the infield. The three runs came in
on Fronk's infield hit, a drag bunt for a hit by Gore and another
infield hit by Dustin Ackley.
Andrew Carignan completed the shutout, allowing two hits and striking
out two over the final two innings to earn his 12th save of the season.
Virginia (43-14, 19-9) got a pair of hits from John Scaglione but
could only advance three runners as far as second base.
North Carolina, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, is in the
championship game for the first time in 18 years. The Tar Heels are
looking for their first league baseball title since 1990.
"This was obviously a big win for us over a really good Virginia
team; one of the best teams we have played all year," North Carolina
head coach
Mike Fox said. "I feel fortunate that we won. I thought that
Lambert and fortunately Alex matched him pitch for pitch. We are excited
to have won."
