North Carolina
Cal State Fullerton
Tar Heels Claim 4-3 Win Over No. 8 Cal State Fullerton
February 19, 2011 | Baseball
Feb. 19, 2011
FULLERTON, Calif. - North Carolina improved to 2-0 on the year with a 4-3 extra-inning win over No. 8 Cal State Fullerton Saturday in Fullerton, Calif. Greg Holt earned his second straight win, while Cody Penny earned the first save of his career. Jacob Stallings was 3-for-5 with a solo home run in the win. Carolina returns to action Sunday against Missouri at 10 a.m. PT followed by a 2 p.m. PT start against USC.
The Tar Heels picked up a first inning run for the second straight day Saturday as Tommy Coyle dropped a single into right field and used his speed to get to third on Levi Michael's single through the right side. A wild pitch moved Coyle 90 feet to score before a wild pitch put Michael at third where he was stranded.
Cal State Fullerton answered in the bottom half of the first when the Titans took advantage of a Tar Heel miscue to open the inning. Anthony Hutting dropped a bunt down the third base line that starter Patrick Johnson was able to get to but slipped as he arrived at the ball putting runners at first and second with nobody out.
A single down the left field line by Nick Ramirez loaded the bases for Carlos Lopez who Johnson forced into a foul out to Colin Moran at third. An infield fly resulted in out number two but issued a walk to Joe Terry that evened the score. A groundout would end the threat.
Johnson settled down in the second picking up a pair of strikeouts and retiring the side in order.
A single, a walk and a double-steal put a pair of runners in scoring position for Fullerton in the bottom of the third forcing Johnson to bear down as he forced a shallow fly to center. The Conover, N.C., native struck out the next batter and was able to get a ground out to get out of the jam.
Ben Bunting led off the top of the fifth with a bunt down the third base line and moved to second on a perfect sacrifice bunt from Tommy Coyle. Levi Michael moved Bunting to third on a ground ball to second base before Tom Zengel came up with a clutch first collegiate hit.
Zengel hit a slow roller back up the box that second baseman Matt Orloff was able to get to but not in enough time to get Zengel. Bunting scored with ease to give Zengel his first collegiate RBI.
The Tar Heels tacked one on in the top of the sixth when Jacob Stallings connected on the first home run of the season, a shot down the left field line, putting Carolina in front 3-1.
Once again, the Titans struck back in the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff single and a sacrifice bunt before a two-out single up the middle cut into the Tar Heel lead at 3-2. The RBI single would end the day for Johnson who struck out six in 5 2/3 innings of work. Freshman Tate Parrish picked up the final out of the six.
The Titans were threatening again in the seventh when Parrish issued a four-pitch walk to open the inning. Shane Taylor came on and on his first pitch Carlos Lopez missed on a bunt attempt and Stallings cut down Nick Ramirez at second in a steal attempt. Lopez would go on to rip a double off the right field wall before Taylor picked up a critical strikeout before making way for R.C. Orlan who ended the threat with another strikeout.
Jesse Wierzbicki opened the eighth with a triple down the right field line but a short fly to left kept Wierzbicki at third. Stallings followed with a rocket to second base but a drawn in infield kept the runner at bay before a strikeout ended the threat.
Orlan worked a perfect eighth before making way for Greg Holt in the ninth after allowing a walk and a sacrifice bunt. Holt got Ramirez to foul out to shortstop Levi Michael for the second out of the inning. Holt worked a 1-2 count but with the runner at second in motion Lopez ripped a double to right center to tie the game at 3-3. Holt picked up a strikeout to end the inning.
Levi Michael led off the top of the 10th with a single to right but was cut down on a strange ground ball double play. On a pitchout, Tom Zengel hit a one-hopper to the third baseman that Michael that was caught as he slowed up allowing Fullerton to narrowly turn the double play.
The Tar Heels took the lead in the top of the 11th as Seth Baldwin battled to a full count before drawing a leadoff walk. Stallings hit a slow dribbler back to the pitcher moving Baldwin to second. A passed ball moved Baldwin to third before Colin Moran battled for a walk to put runners at the corners with one out.
Head coach Mike Fox attempted to roll the dice calling for a safety squeeze with Parks Jordan at the plate but a but pop up put two outs on the board. Moran would go on to swipe second base allowing Bunting to drive in the eventual game winner with a single to right field.
Sophomore Cody Penny came on for the bottom of the 11th and was dealing as he struck out the first two batters he faced before forcing preseason All-America Nick Ramirez to fly out to Jordan in left to end the game and move the Tar Heels to 2-0 on the year.
Carolina will return to action Saturday in a doubleheader against Missouri at 10 a.m. PT followed by Southern California at 2 p.m. PT.
