May 7, 2011
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -
North Carolina overcame a 4-3 deficit with two outs in the bottom of the ninth on Greg Holt's RBI double, and Ben Bunting's infield single with the bases loaded in the 10th lifted the No. 18 Tar Heels to a 5-4 comeback win over Maryland Saturday afternoon.
The Terps had erased a 3-0 deficit on Michael Montville's three-run home run in the seventh inning and edged ahead when Jake Stinnett drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth.
Left-handed reliever Jimmy Reed cruised through the seventh and eighth innings, needing just 20 pitches to retire six batters. He came back out for the ninth and recorded the first out of the inning, but North Carolina's Jacob Stallings doubled down the left-field line to put the tying run in scoring position.
After closer Korey Wacker replaced Reed and recorded the second out of the inning, Holt plated Stallings with a double that landed just fair down the left-field line, sending the game to extras.
North Carolina (36-10, 15-8) shortstop Levi Michael walked to open the 10th and when third baseman Colin Moran put down a sacrifice bunt to move Michael into scoring position, Wacker tried to get the lead runner by throwing to second. The throw, however, went into center field and put runners on the corners.
The Terps then intentionally walked Jesse Wierzbicki to load the bases, and Bunting won it with a chopper between first and second base that was ruled an infield single.
For Maryland (20-31, 5-21), the ending overshadowed a gritty comeback and solid pitching by Reed and David Carroll.
Through six innings, Tar Heel freshman starter Kent Emanuel provided a splendid performance. He threw just 30 pitches in facing the minimum 12 batters from the third through the sixth inning. With Emanuel seemingly cruising, the Terps jumped on him in the seventh.
First baseman Tim Kiene led off the inning with a double and catcher Aaron Etchison followed with a bunt single down the third base line, bringing the tying run to the plate. Montville, a freshman who recorded the first three-hit game of his career, smashed a 1-2 offering over the wall in left field to tie it.
Maryland had stayed in the game with solid pitching from Carroll, who held North Carolina to three runs in six innings to keep the Terps within striking distance.
Earlier, North Carolina built its lead with single runs in the second, third and sixth innings.
In the second, Bunting led off with a bunt single and advanced to third on a single by Stallings. Carroll induced the next batter, right fielder Seth Baldwin, into a 6-3 ground-ball double play, though Bunting was able to score.
An inning later Moran, who had a key three-run double on Friday, increased the Tar Heel lead to 2-0 with a double down the right-field line that scored Michael from first. Stallings gave the Heels a 3-0 lead with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
In addition to Montville's three hits, Kiene had two, extending his hitting streak to seven games. Freshman right fielder Charlie White also extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the first inning.
Wacker (2-4) suffered the loss for Maryland, while Michael Morin (4-2) picked up the win for North Carolina.
The Terps and Tar Heels conclude the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m.
