University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Birmingham Southern
No. 4 Tar Heels Complete Sweep of BSC with Two-Hitter
February 27, 2005 | Baseball
Feb. 27, 2005
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Led by six strong innings from sophomore Andrew Miller, the Tar Heel pitching staff fired its second two-hitter of the season, and freshman first baseman Chad Flack went 2-for-2 with his first career home run to lead No. 4-ranked North Carolina (8-0) to a 6-1 victory over Birmingham Southern (2-4) Sunday at Boshamer Stadium.
Miller (3-0) carried a no-hitter into the sixth and picked up his second win on the week, as the Tar Heels improved to 8-0 for the first time since 2000. He scattered four walks and gave up his first earned run of the season on two hits. Miller's eight strikeouts were the most since he fanned a career-best 11 at Miami on May 16, 2004.
After sophomore Robert Woodard worked a hitless seventh, closer Matt Danford struck out three over the eighth and ninth innings to earn his third save of the season.
In addition to Flack, fellow freshman Seth Williams was 2-for-4 to lead the Tar Heel bats. Rookie Kyle Shelton and sophomore Bryan Steed each drove in two runs in a four-run eighth that put the game away.
Flack gave the Tar Heels a 2-0 lead in the second with a two-run home run, a shot that landed two-thirds of the way up the net above the left field wall. Designated hitter Ross Cook walked to before Flack connected for Carolina's seventh homer of the season.
BSC got on the board in the sixth, as catcher Blake Burton led off the inning with a single for the first hit off Miller. He later came around to score the Panthers' lone run on an RBI single to left center by third baseman Pat Mizerany. After breaking up the potential no-hitter, Burton was bunted over the second and then scored on Mizerany's hit to trim the Tar Heel lead to 2-1. The earned run was the first allowed by Miller in 18 innings to start the season.
The Tar Heels secured the win in the eighth, as four runs came across with two out in the inning. Following walks to catcher Justin Webb and Flack, who was intentionally put on, Williams reached on an infield single to load the bases. Shelton then singled up the middle to plate both Webb and Flack to give the Tar Heels a 4-1 lead. Shelton alertly took second when BSC center fielder Scott Billak mishandled the hit. With two runners now in scoring position, Steed followed with a single to center to score both Williams and Shelton and give Carolina the 6-1 victory.
Birmingham Southern starter Mac Godwin (1-1) was effective until the eighth and allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits and five walks. He struck out three.
Seven different Tar Heels hit safely in the game, as Carolina had at least nine hits in all three games of the series. Both Flack and Shelton recorded their first career multi-RBI games, while Williams had his first multi-hit day as a Tar Heel. Shelton's two-run single in the eighth was the first hit of his collegiate career.
With one earned run in six innings Sunday, Miller's season ERA now sits at 0.48. He has allowed just one earned run in 18.2 innings and has 18 strikeouts against seven walks in 2005. As a staff, the Tar Heels have allowed just six earned runs in 72 innings, which is good for an ACC-best 0.75 ERA.
Carolina plays the final game of its nine-game, season-opening home stand against Gardner-Webb at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
