Re: UNC vs. VT - Game 2
BY UNC ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
BLACKSBURG, Va. --- Brian Miller's sacrifice fly in the eighth scored Elijah Sutherland to break a 10-10 tie and No. 18 North Carolina held on for a wild 11-10 win over Virginia Tech Saturday afternoon at English Field. Trent Thornton allowed just one run in 4.1 innings of relief to get the win for the Tar Heels, who were out-hit 14-7 but did just enough to win for the 27th time in 29 meetings since the Hokies joined the ACC. Sutherland drove in three runs and Landon Lassiter plated a pair to lead the Carolina offense.
UNC (24-15, 10-10 ACC) scored four times in the first against starter Jon Woodcock without needing a hit. After a flyout to start the game, Woodcock walked five straight batters before hitting Sutherland with a 3-2 pitch to make it 3-0. Logan Warmoth added a fourth run with a sac fly against Chris Monaco, but the Hokies got it all back in the bottom of the inning.
J.B. Bukauskas started for the Tar Heels and allowed four straight hits, including Brendon Hayden's second homer of the weekend, as the Hokies (19-21, 8-12 ACC) tied the game after just five batters. Carolina regained the lead with two runs in the third, but the first four Virginia Tech hitters reached in the bottom half to chase the freshman righty.
Carolina loaded the bases again in the fifth against relievers Sean Kennedy and Luke Scherzer, scoring four times to take a 10-8 lead. The big blow was Lassiter's two-run single to left that made it 9-8. Four batters later, Sutherland's second bases-loaded HBP of the game pushed the margin to two runs.
RBI singles by Saige Jenco and Sean Keselica pulled the Hokies back even at 10, but Carolina plated the lone run of the final three innings on Miller's sac fly in the eighth to score a memorable win. Sutherland led off the frame with a double off Scherzer (1-3) before moving to third on a Warmoth sacrifice. Aaron McGarity allowed the game-winning RBI despite being the only pitcher for either team to escape without allowing a run.
All nine Carolina starters reached base and all nine either scored a run or drove one in, despite tallying just seven hits. Tyler Ramirez was hitless in six trips, but reached four times on three walks and a hit by pitch.
Trevor Kelley allowed one run over 2.2 innings in his NCAA-leading 28th appearance of the year. The senior right-hander passed Michael Morin and Scott Senatore for ninth in school history in career appearances with 95.
Sunday's series finale is tentatively scheduled for a 1 p.m. start. With an unfavorable forecast, however, that may be pushed up. Stay tuned to GoHeels.com and follow @DiamondHeels on Twitter for the latest.
