April 26, 2009
Box Score
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -
Brett Harman limited No. 1 North Carolina to two runs in six innings and the Terrapins out-hit the Tar Heels, but a big home run in the seventh inning ruined Maryland baseball's upset bid Sunday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium as the Tar Heels took a 4-2 victory to complete a series sweep of the Terps.
The Terps (20-24, 6-18 ACC) put consistent pitcher on the North Carolina pitching staff the first two innings and plated a run in the second to take an early lead. Maryland got two runners on with no outs in the first before stranding the bases loaded. Back-to-back singles from Gerry Spessard and Dan Benick put runners on the corners with no outs in the second when Tar Heels starting pitcher Matt Harvey was pulled from the game with an injury.
Spessard was subsequently picked off third in a bizarre rundown, 1-2-4-1-2-5. Benick was attempting to steal second on the play and got caught between bases. The throw back to first went high, however, and Spessard attempted to score. North Carolina first baseman Dustin Ackley made a nice grab on the errant throw and fired home to trap Spessard.
Fortunately for the Terps, No. 9 hitter Alfredo Rodriguez picked up Spessard and lined an RBI single to right field off Colin Bates, scoring Benick, who advanced to second in the previous rundown.
Maryland starter Brett Harman controlled the Tar Heels (35-11, 16-7 ACC) through four innings, but ran into some bad luck in the bottom of the fifth.
Brett Thomas led off with a bloop single to left field and later scored with two outs on an RBI double by Levi Michael that narrowly escaped the glove of first baseman Will Greenberg, tying the game at 1. Harman did battle back to escape a bases-loaded jam, however, striking out cleanup hitter Kyle Seager.
The Terps got the run right back in the top of the sixth against North Carolina southpaw Brian Moran. Benick singled with one out and moved to second on a ground-out. Designated hitter Jensen Pupa then drove Benick in with a single up the middle to give the Terps a 2-1 lead.
Unfortunately for Maryland, the one-run cushion lasted all of one pitch as catcher Mark Fleury continued his big series against Terps pitching, launching a home run down the right-field line to re-tie the game at 2-2.
The Tar Heels finally pulled ahead in the bottom of the seventh. Ian Schwalenberg relieved Harman to start the inning and allowed a leadoff single to No. 9 hitter Mike Cavasinni. Cavasinni advanced to second on a ground-out and then Michael stayed red-hot at the plate, lifting a two-run homer to right field.
Nate Striz came out of the bullpen and pitched a perfect two innings to shut the door on the Terps and earn his second save of the season.
Moran earned the win to improve to 4-1 while Schwalenberg took the loss to fall to 2-4.
Harman pitched well in a no-decision, allowing only two runs on four hits in six innings. Pupa and Benick led the Terps with two hits apiece.
Maryland plays host to James Madison Tuesday night at Shipley Field.
-TERPS-
