North Carolina
Monmouth
Tar Heels Take Series Opener From Monmouth, 9-2
March 14, 2003 | Baseball
March 14, 2003
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -North Carolina (11-5) defeated Monmouth (1-7), 9-2 on Friday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels had 13 hits as a team, including three from Jeremy Cleveland and four from Ryan Blake. The Hawks scattered ten hits against Carolina pitching but stranded 13 runners on base.
UNC starter Daniel Moore improved to 2-0 on the season after pitching six innings and giving up just two runs on four hits while striking out six Monmouth batters. Whitley Benson recorded the final five outs for the Tar Heels and picked up Carolina's first save of the season.
Carolina got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning. Blake was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and later came around to score on a two-out single by Greg Mangum.
The Tar Heels manufactured another run in the bottom of the fifth. Chad Prosser reached on a walk and advanced to second on a failed pick off attempt by Monmouth catcher, Mike St. Martine. The next batter was Cleveland who singled sharply to center, scoring Prosser and giving Carolina a 2-0 lead.
The Hawks scored two runs in the top of the sixth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Marc Weres came through with an RBI single to left, driving in Frank Pilitowski. The bases were still loaded when Mike Kelly drew a walk, forcing in a run and tying the score at 2-2.
Carolina grabbed a 3-2 lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Blake led off the inning with his second single of the day and would later come around to score on a single by Blair Waggett.
The Tar Heels extended their lead with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Three doubles in the inning by Cleveland, Chris Iannetta and Blake gave Carolina 5-2 lead.
Carolina tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the eighth. With two outs, Iannetta drove home Prosser with an RBI single. Blake then followed with a mammoth three-run homer to left, his first home run of the season and fourth hit of the day.
The Tar Heels and Hawks continue and conclude their series with a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon with the first game beginning at 1 p.m. The third and final game of the series was originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. but the possibility of inclement weather has pushed that game forward.
