University of North Carolina Athletics
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Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Outlasts No. 12 UNC In 13, 6-5
March 22, 2014 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL --- Georgia Tech scored twice in the top of the 13th and the Yellow Jackets won a marathon first game of Saturday's doubleheader 6-5 over No. 12 North Carolina at Boshamer Stadium. The two teams combined to leave 32 runners on base and had 15 hits each but neither squad could score in extras until the 13th. Wood Myers had five hits to lead Carolina in a losing effort, while six different Yellow Jackets had two hits.
The Tar Heels had a prime opportunity to win it in the ninth after entering the inning behind 4-3. With the bases loaded and one gone, Myers singled up the middle to score the tying run. But Mott Hyde made a lunging stop to keep the ball on the infield and keep the game tied. Michael Russell then struck out and Skye Bolt grounded out to first to send the game to extra innings.
That came after some incredible relief pitching from Zach Rice in the top of the inning to keep it 4-3. With the bases loaded and nobody out, the freshman lefty entered the game and proceeded to get back-to-back strikeouts and a popout to end the threat and give the Tar Heel bats a chance.
Carolina also left the bases loaded in the 10th before loading them again in the 12th win one out. But Dusty Isaacs (4-3) got Brandon Whiteford to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to escape the 12th and set up the Georgia Tech rally in the 13th.
Luis Paula (1-2) took the loss after giving up the two runs in the 13th. He was the seventh of eight Tar Heel pitchers to appear out of the bullpen in relief of Benton Moss. Moss went 7.0 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits and two walks. The junior from Enfield, N.C., struck out five.
Myers' fifth hit of the game came in the 13th, and the freshman second baseman later scored on a Russell single. But Russell was thrown out trying to stretch it to a double, and Bolt struck out to end it.
The game was a season long in terms of both innings and time, as the first game of the doubleheader went four hours, 30 minutes.
