University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Towson
No. 10 Carolina Cruises Past Towson, 6-0
March 23, 2005 | Baseball
March 23, 2005
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Junior Mike Daniel homered twice and tripled, and freshman right-hander Andy Gale and two relievers combined on a one-hitter as 10th-ranked North Carolina (17-5, 2-2 ACC) cruised to a 6-0 victory over Towson (8-8) Wednesday at Boshamer Stadium. Freshman shortstop Josh Horton also had four hits for the Tar Heels, who swept the two-game midweek series with the Tigers for the fourth straight season to improve to 15-0 at home.
Making just the second start of his young career, Gale (1-0) went seven shutout innings to pick up his first career win. The only hit he allowed was a fourth inning single and his two walks were erased by a pick off and a double play. Gale struck out the side in the third and finished with five strikeouts. Relievers Andrew Carignan and Robert Woodard tossed perfect eighth and ninth innings, as the Tar Heels faced just one batter over the minimum on the afternoon. The shutout was Carolina's fourth of the season.
At the plate, Daniel remained red-hot with a 3-for-4 day, which included his first two home runs of the season. He homered in the second and third innings for his first career multi-homer day, and followed in the fifth with his fourth career triple. Daniel is now batting a team-best .414 and posted his fifth multi-hit effort in the last eight games. He also tied a career high with three runs scored.
Horton led the Tar Heels' 13-hit attack with his first career four-hit effort, which included three doubles and an RBI. Freshman first baseman Chad Flack also had two hits, and freshman center fielder Seth Williams hit his team-high fifth home run of the season.
On the strength of the homers by Daniel and Williams, the Tar Heels jumped out to 4-0 lead after three innings. Daniel put Carolina on the board in the second with a shot over the wall in right center, and Horton drove in the second run of the frame with a single to center. Horton's hit scored Flack, who followed Daniel's homer with a single to left.
Williams and Daniel ripped back-to-back home runs in the third to give Gale a four-run cushion. With one out, Williams homered to left center, and Daniel followed with a blast to right for the Tar Heels' first back-to-back home runs since April 21, 2004 against UNC Greensboro.
UNC broke into the scoring column for the third straight inning in the fourth when designated hitter Matt Ellington singled to center to drive in Horton, who led off the inning with a double for his second hit of the day. Ellington's single extended his hitting streak to a career-best nine games and drove in his team-high 23rd run this season.
Daniel's third hit of the day led to the Tar Heels' sixth run, as he tripled down the right field line and later came home to score on a sacrifice fly by right fielder Jay Cox.
Towson starter Jason Sumerlin (0-1) took the loss after allowing six runs on 11 hits over five innings. He struck out three. Relievers D.J. Reed and Brian Brewer held Carolina scoreless over the final three innings. Shortstop Shane Justis had Towson's lone hit on the afternoon.
The Tar Heels return to ACC action this weekend when Wake Forest comes to Boshamer Stadium for a three-game series. Games are set for 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
