North Carolina
Seton Hall
Carolina Claims 7-1 Win Over Seton Hall
February 26, 2011 | Baseball
Feb. 26, 2011
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Tar Heels used the big inning to their advantage for the second straight day as Carolina exploded for six runs in the fourth and fifth innings en route to a 7-1 win over Seton Hall Saturday. Patrick Johnson earned the win going seven innings, while allowing just one run for his first win of the season. The Tar Heels and Pirates will close out the series Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Tar Heels struck first in the bottom of the very first inning as Ben Bunting drew a leadoff walk to open the frame. Tommy Coyle provided a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Bunting to second before the senior outfielder swiped third.
Junior Levi Michael lifted a 1-2 pitch to left center field, deep enough to score Bunting from third and provide starting pitcher Patrick Johnson with some early help.
The Pirates picked up a one-out single in the top of the second but the runner was quickly erased on a steal attempt by Tar Heel backstop Jacob Stallings who has cut down seven runners on the year.
Johnson found himself in trouble in the third as Seton Hall put runners at the corners before coercing a fly out to left to end the inning.
Following a solo home run by Seton Hall's Sean Gusrang in the top of the fourth, the Carolina offense struck back with a pair of runs in the bottom half.
Levi Michael started things off with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Jacob Stallings extended his season-opening hit streak to six games with a RBI double to left field. Colin Moran followed with a RBI single to right center to extend the lead to 3-1 in favor of Carolina.
The Tar Heel bats erupted for a four-spot in the bottom of the fifth as Chaz Frank started things off with one down with a hit by pitch. Ben Bunting followed by beating out a bunt single to first base before Tommy Coyle was issued a walk. Michael followed with a single lined to left field that scored Frank.
Following a pitching change and a strikeout Colin Moran delivered the biggest blow as he rapped a single to right field that scored Coyle and Bunting from second and third. An errant throw by the Seton Hall right fielder allowed Michael to score from third and move Moran to second on the play.
Johnson was dealing from that point on setting down the side in order on strikeouts in the sixth before another 1-2-3 inning in the seventh ended his day. Johnson finished allowing the lone run, while striking out six.
Freshman Tate Parrish threw a scoreless eighth before making way for Jimmy Messer in the ninth who retired all three batters he faced in the ninth to finish off the game.
Carolina improves to 6-0 on the year with the win and has won its first six games for the first time since 2007.
Moran paced the offense again by going 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Michael tacked on two RBI of his own.
Ben Bunting and Levi Michael each crossed the plate twice in the victory.
The series between Carolina and Seton Hall will wrap up Sunday at 1 p.m. at Boshamer Stadium.
