University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Towson
No. 10 Tar Heels Hold off Towson, 6-4
March 22, 2005 | Baseball
March 22, 2005
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Junior outfielder Mike Daniel went 2-for-3 with a two-run double, and closer Matt Danford struck out the potential tying run twice in the ninth to lead No. 10-ranked North Carolina (16-5, 2-2 ACC) to a 6-4 win over Towson (8-7) Tuesday at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels and Tigers will complete the two-game midweek series at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Nursing a 6-4 lead and with a Towson runner on third with just one out, Danford fanned the Tigers' No. 4 and No. 5 hitters to nail down the win and earn his fourth save of the season. Senior right-hander Bryan Phillips (2-1) went four innings and picked up the win in a staff outing. He allowed one run on two hits and two walks and tied a career-high with five strikeouts. Phillips was making just the fourth start of his career and first since 2003. Relievers Matt Spencer and Jonathan Hovis worked the fifth through eighth innings before Danford came on to close.
Daniel, who is now batting a team-best .389, followed a second inning single with the two-run double in the fifth, which gave the Tar Heels a 6-1 lead before Towson got back in the game. Additionally, sophomore outfielder Jay Cox was 3-for-4 with three doubles and a run scored, and designated hitter Matt Ellington drove in two with a single in the third. Third baseman Bryan Steed and second baseman Greg Mangum also had two hits each, while Steed added two sacrifice bunts.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the third as designated hitter Casper Wells drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in left fielder Jeremy Stifler, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. The earned run was the first of the season off Phillips, who buckled down to strike out first baseman Jason Maxey to leave the bases packed with just one run on the board.
Carolina responded with two in the bottom of the inning to claim a 2-1 lead. After Steed bunted shortstop Craig Corrado and Mangum into scoring position, Ellington singled through the right side to drive in both runners. Corrado and Mangum led off the inning with back-to-back singles to start the rally. Ellington now has a team-high 22 RBI this season.
The Tar Heels added a run in the fourth, as Cox doubled down the left field line, moved to third on a Chase Younts bunt and then scored when Towson shortstop Shane Justis dropped a liner off the bat of Corrado.
Carolina put three more on the board in the fifth to take a 6-1 lead. The first run of the inning came home on the Tigers' second error of the afternoon, and Daniel followed with his double to left center to plate two runners. Steed started the scoring rally with a double down the right field line.
After being down five runs after five, the Tigers picked three over the sixth and seventh innings to cut the lead to 6-4 and get back into the game. Following an unearned run in the sixth, Towson second baseman Hans Falkenhan ripped a two-run home run to right off Hovis to trim the Tar Heel lead to just two runs.
But Hovis settled down to work a scoreless eighth before Danford came on the close out the win. Towson made it interesting in the ninth, as Falkenhan, who was 2-for-5 with two RBI, reached on an infield single and took second on a throwing error by Mangum. After Falkenhan moved to third on a fly out, Danford struck out Wells, who was 2-for-4 on the day, and Maxey to end the game.
Towson starter Taylor Travis (1-1) took the loss after allowing six runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks. Jon Dupski worked three innings of scoreless relief for the Tigers.
Freshman right-hander Andy Gale set to take the mound for the Tar Heels in Wednesday's series finale.
