University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
High Point
Bullpen Pitches No. 4 Carolina Past High Point
April 25, 2007 | Baseball
April 25, 2007
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - No. 4 North Carolina got 6 2/3 shutout innings from its bullpen and jumped on High Point ace Eammon Portice for two runs in the first inning to claim a 3-1 victory over the Panthers Wednesday at Boshamer Stadium. On the heels of its three-hit shutout of ECU Tuesday, Carolina (35-9) held High Point (23-22) to just four hits.
Right-handers Rob Wooten, Matt Danford and Andrew Carignan allowed only two hits and combined for 10 strikeouts in relief of starter Mike Facchinei, who lasted 2 1/3 innings. Wooten (2-0) fanned four of the 10 batters he faced to earn his second win, while Danford retired all nine batters he faced and struck out three over three innings.
Carignan struck out the side in the ninth to earn his ninth save and first since April 7.
The Tar Heels needed to see just two pitches to take a 1-0 lead against Portice in the first, as left fielder Reid Fronk, who was 2-for-3 with a walk, tripled down the right field line and scored on a single to left center by Seth Williams. Williams took second on a wild pitch and then crossed the plate on a single up the middle by designated hitter Tim Federowicz for his 47th RBI of the season and an early two-run lead.
All-America shortstop Josh Horton added a third run for Carolina in the fourth with a solo home to left center, his fourth of the season.
Fortunately for the Tar Heels that would be all the offense they would need, since Portice and reliever Tom Boleska held UNC without a hit the rest of the way. Portice (5-6) struck out six and allowed three runs on five hits and three walks over seven innings.
Trailing 2-0, High Point got on the board in the top of the second when shortstop Alfie Wheeler singled home designated hitter Chris Norwood from second to cut the lead to 2-1.
After Horton's homer made it 3-1, the UNC defense held that advantage in the fifth when Chad Flack threw out Wheeler at the plate on a soft chopper to third, and Wooten struck out HPU slugger Randy Schwartz to strand two runners on base. Schwartz, who entered the game with a .391 average, fanned four times.
Wooten worked out of a jam in the fifth, and Danford and Carignan took over from there to retire nine of the 10 batters they faced the rest of the way.
The Tar Heels are back in action this weekend at NC State for a three-game series beginning Friday.
