North Carolina
Seton Hall
Tar Heels Drop Series Finale To Seton Hall
February 27, 2011 | Baseball
Feb. 27, 2011
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Despite a career-high nine strikeouts from sophomore right-hander Michael Morin the North Carolina Tar Heels fell, 3-1, to Seton Hall Sunday in the series finale at Boshamer Stadium. The loss was the first of the season for the Tar Heels who managed just four hits in the defeat but claimed the series 2-1. Carolina will look to rebound Tuesday when it hosts Charlotte in a mid-week contest.
Seton Hall challenged Michael Morin from the very start as the Pirates put a runner in scoring position in the top of the first inning but back-to-back strikeouts would end the threat.
Frank Esposito doubled to lead off the second inning before advancing to third with just one out but Morin buckled down again and sat down Dale Anderson and Giuseppe Pappacio on strikes to escape the jam. Morin was not as lucky in the third when leadoff man Zach Granite reached via a bunt single, stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on a ground out to put Seton Hall in front.
Over the next two and a half innings the teams combined for just one hit as the starting pitchers Joe DiRocco and Morin were dealing.
With an elevated pitch count Morin found himself in trouble in the sixth. After recording his career-high ninth strikeout to open the frame, Morin allowed a single that ended his day.
Reliever Greg Holt came on and allowed a walk before a RBI single off the bat of pinch hitter Ryan Sullivan and a safety squeez from Pappaccio made the score 3-0 in favor of the Pirates.
The Tar Heels finally got on the board in the bottom of the seventh when with one out Jesse Wierzbicki and Chaz Frank ripped back-to-back singles to put runners at the corners en route to ending the day of DiRocco.
Seth Baldwin hit a sharp ground ball up the middle that the second baseman snared but Baldwin beat the relay throw to first scoring Wierzbicki on the play and cutting the deficit to 3-1.
Levi Michael, who extended his season-opening hitting streak to seven games, drew a walk with one down in the eighth and eventually stole second to put himself in scoring position for Jacob Stallings. A routine grounder to second would end the Tar Heel threat.
Following the rough sixth inning, Greg Holt settled down and retired the next nine batters he faced in the seventh through ninth innings giving the Tar Heels a fighting chance.
A one-out walk by pinch hitter Colin Moran looked to spark the Tar Heel offense in the ninth by a game-ending 4-6-3 double play put the cap on the loss for Carolina.
The setback is the first of the year for the Tar Heels who now own a 6-1 record. Carolina will be back in action on Tuesday and Wednesday this week as it hosts Charlotte and Davidson with first pitch slated for 3 p.m. both days.
