April 4, 2010

Box Score | Season Stats (PDF)

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - No. 22 North Carolina scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to tie the game, and then added four in the ninth to come from behind and defeat Maryland 8-4 Sunday afternoon.

The Terps were in control of the game through six innings, outhitting the Tar Heels 11-3, but a late rally by North Carolina gave them their second straight win and the series victory.

With the game tied at 4-4 going into the ninth, North Carolina opened the inning with back to back singles. After an error allowed Levi Michael to reach first and load the bases, Dan Gentzler hit Jesse Wierzbicki with a pitch, giving the Tar Heels the go-ahead run. North Carolina added three more runs in the frame on a hit and another Maryland error as they took an 8-4 lead.

Gentzler (1-1), who gave up five total runs, only one of which was earned, suffered the loss. Maryland dropped to 12-17 overall and 3-9 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Michael Morin (4-0) allowed just one hit over the final 1 2/3 to get the win as North Carolina improved to 20-0 and 4-8 in the ACC.

The dramatic comeback overshadowed three-hit games for Jack Cleary and Alfredo Rodriguez, as well as solid pitching performances by Eric Potter and John Dischert. Potter contributed another solid start, going 4 1/3 while allowing just two runs (one earned) on three hits. Dischert relieved Potter and surrendered just one hit in 1 2/3.

After the Tar Heels tied it in the top of the eighth, it looked as if Maryland might retake the lead. Jack Cleary led off the bottom half of the inning with a double down the right field line, and Alfredo Rodriugez's sacrifice bunt moved Cleary to third. After Jon Wilson popped out, Brandon Padula was robbed of a hit. Padula hit a shot down the left field line, but North Carolina third baseman Levi Michael made a diving stop, quickly got to his feet and threw to first, just beating Padula for the third out of the inning.

Maryland got out to an early lead by racking up a number of hits. The Terps used four hits in the second inning, including RBI singles by Cleary and Mike Rozak, to go ahead 2-0. They added single runs in the fifth and sixth on a Matt Murakami RBI single and a Brandon Padula sacrifice fly.

The Terps return to action on Tuesday when they travel to Fairfax, Va., to take on George Mason at 3 p.m.

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