University of North Carolina Athletics
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Carolina Takes Series With 6-3 Win At Clemson
March 10, 2012 | Baseball
March 10, 2012
CLEMSON, S.C. - No. 6 North Carolina pushed across three runs in the top of the ninth inning and earned a 6-3 win over No. 17 Clemson Saturday afternoon in Clemson, S.C. Shane Taylor earned the win by tossing a scoreless inning of relief and junior closer Michael Morin saved his fourth game in five days to give Carolina the series victory.
Tommy Coyle and Parks Jordan paced the Tar Heels at the plate as Coyle went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and Jordan added two hits, a run and two RBI.
Junior Chris Munnnelly got the start for the Tar Heels as he went 4.2 innings allowing three runs on six hits in a no decision.
Carolina struck first in the second inning when Parks Jordan singled home a run before the Tigers answered in the bottom of the third.
The Tigers could have gained the lead in the third thanks to a pair of runners in scoring position with only one out. Steve Wilkerson stepped in for the Tigers and lifted a ball into center field that Chaz Frank caught for the second out of the inning. Dominic Attanasio scored from third on the play but Frank threw the ball to third and cut down Thomas Brittle to end the Clemson threat.
Carolina loaded the bases in the fourth and pushed across the go ahead run on a safety squeeze bunt by Parks Jordan but were unable to lengthen the lead to more than one run at 2-1.
Clemson picked up singles from Spencer Kieboom and Jason Stolz in the fifth before Attanasio turned on a ball and sent it into the right field corner for a two-run double giving the Tigers a 3-2. Later in the frame the Tigers put a pair of runners on base as Chris McCue came on to replace Munnelly. Richie Shaffer sent a low liner into left off of McCue but Jordan made a running grab to end the inning.
Clemson reliever Jonathan Meyer tossed back-to-back scoreless innings against the Tar Heels in the fifth and sixth innings to keep the Tigers in front.
It looked like more of the same in the seventh as the first two batters flew out before Tommy Coyle hit a chopper to second base that was misplayed keeping the inning alive.
Colin Moran drew a walk to put a pair on base for Jacob Stallings who sent a hard chopper to third base that Richie Shaffer snared. Shaffer scrambled to his feet and fired to first base but the throw forced first baseman Jon McGibbon to jump for the ball. Stallings was able to sneak a foot onto the bag before McGibbon came down and applied the tag. Coyle raced around from second base to even things up at 3-3.
Neither team was able to get much going over the next inning and a half as Hobbs Johnson and Shane Taylor kept the Tigers from scoring any runs.
Clemson went to freshman closer Daniel Gossett to open the ninth inning and the right-hander allowed the first two batters to reach as Jordan slapped a single to center and Chaz Frank drew a base on balls.
Tommy Coyle notched his third hit of the day to load the bases and end Gossett's day on the mound as Clemson went with right-hander Scott Firth who threw 1.2 innings the night before.
Moran needed just four pitches to push across the go-ahead run drawing a four-pitch RBI walk. Jacob Stallings walked in five pitches to score another Tar Heel run and end Firth's day. Mike Zolk added a sacrifice fly later in the inning to give closer Michael Morin a three-run cushion to work with at 6-3.
Morin allowed a one out double but forced a strike out and a ground out to record his fourth straight save. Morin closed the door Friday night and recorded saves in the midweek wins over Davidson and Elon and now has six for the year.
Carolina has now won its fourth straight series to open the year and is 2-0 in the ACC for the first time since the 2007 season when the Tar Heels opened with a series sweep of Miami.
Sunday will see freshman left-hander Chris O'Brien take the mound for the Tar Heels, while Clemson will send right-hander Kevin Pohle. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and can be seen live on ESPN3.
