April 10, 2005
Final Stats
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
In a game where no team led by more than one run throughout, a Chad Flack solo home run in the sixth inning proved to be the difference in a 3-2 North Carolina win over Maryland baseball. Flack's home run broke a 2-2 tie, and the seventh-ranked Tar Heels hung on for a Sunday win and a three-game series sweep. Jordan Wilson, Chad Durakis and Matt Maropis combined for all six of the Terps' hits, and the Maryland bullpen gave up one run in the game's final seven innings to keep the game close.
Wilson, Durakis and Maropis, the 5-6-7 hitters in the Terp lineup, each had two hits in the game, with Maropis and Jason Von Behren driving in Maryland's two runs. Will Frazier had a 14-game hitting streak snapped, but walked for the team-leading 15th time and scored a run.
The two teams traded runs in the first four innings, with Maryland tying the game up with a fourth-inning sacrifice fly by Jason Von Behren.
Justin Webb, who hit a game-winning two-run home run on Saturday, doubled in leadoff hitter Greg Mangum in the first inning. Mangum had reached on a four-pitch walk to start the inning, moved to second on an errant pickoff throw by Maryland starter Brett Cecil and then scored on Webb's line drive down the right field line.
Maryland responded in the bottom of the second inning, with Matt Maropis scoring Will Frazier with a bases-loaded single. The Terps loaded the bases with no outs after Frazier walked, Jordan Wilson doubled and Chad Durakis reached on a hit-by-pitch. Maropis followed with a single into center field, but UNC starter Robert Woodard limited the damage with a pair of strikeouts and a fly out. The Terps got one out of it and tied the game up at 1-1.
Carolina came back and loaded the bases with no outs in the top half of the third, but solid pitching by Justin Hulse limited the Tar Heels to just one run. Hulse induced a groundball and force out at home plate to get the first out of the inning. Designated hitter Matt Ellington hit a sacrifice fly to center field for the lone Carolina run, and Hulse got the last out of the inning with a groundball up the middle.
Von Behren tied the game up in the fourth with a deep sacrifice fly to left field. Jordan Wilson, who led off the inning with a single up the middle, scored from third after being moved along by a Chad Durakis single and Matt Maropis fielder's choice. The run, Wilson's 21st of the season, tied the game at 2-2 through four innings.
Flack led off the Carolina sixth with a solo home run off Justin Hulse, giving the Tar Heels a 3-2 lead. Maryland threatened in the bottom half of the inning, with Wilson, Durakis again reaching base to spark a rally. Wilson was hit by a pitch, and Durakis singled up the middle to put runners on first and second with one out. After a Matt Maropis fly out, Jason Von Behren walked to load the bases for Bobby Ryan. Ryan took two balls and lined a 2-0 offering into left-center field. The ball hung in the air long enough for center field to track it down, ending the Terrapin rally and maintaining the Tar Heels' 3-2 lead.
In his most effective outing this season, Justin Hulse held Carolina to one run in a career-high tying 4.0 innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out two, before giving way to Brett Tidball in the seventh inning. Tidball walked the only batter he faced, and Josh Andrews came in and retired six of the seven batters he faced in 2.0 shutout innings.
Michael Meagher worked a scoreless top of the ninth to give the Terps a chance in their final at-bat.
Matt Maropis led off the inning with a double into center field, putting a runner in scoring position with no outs in a 3-2 game. Pinch-hitter Joe Palumbo sacrificed Maropis to third with one out, giving the team two chances at a sacrifice fly or base hit. The next batter, Bobby Ryan got the ball in the air, but it wasn't deep enough to left field, leaving Maropis on third with two outs. Leadoff hitter Elliot Singletary followed and hit a soft groundball that spun towards foul territory. The ball bounced off the artificial turf surface and stayed in fair territory, as first baseman Chad Flack recorded the unassisted putout.
Next up for the Terps is a mid-week game against Mount St. Mary's on Wednesday, before traveling to Durham, N.C. for a three-game conference set with Duke.
