No. 6 UNC Defeats No. 17 ECU, 17-4

Tuesday, March 15

Greenville, N.C.

6:30 PM

East Carolina University

11-6

North Carolina

13-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
North Carolina	0	8	1	0	0	4	0	4	0	17	16	2
East Carolina	1	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	4	14	2

March 16, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

March 16, 2016

Photo Gallery | Box Score

GREENVILLE, N.C. - Sixth-ranked North Carolina used an eight-run second inning and never looked back taking a midweek nationally-ranked contest from No. 17 East Carolina, 17-4, Tuesday night at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium in front of a season-high 5,213 fans. With the win the Tar Heels improve to 13-2 on the season, while the Pirates fall 11-6.

Spencer Trayner (1-0) picked up the win in relief scattering a pair of hits and striking out two in 1.2 innings. Starter Cole Acker gave up two runs (both earned) on four hits with a walk and strikeout in 2.2 innings in his second start of the season. A.J. Bogucki was touched for a pair of runs (both earned) on four hits in 1.2 innings, while Hunter Williams (1.0 IP) and Taylor Sugg (2.0 IP) combined to toss three scoreless frames.

Evan Voliva (0-1), who made his first collegiate start, surrendered five runs (all earned) on three hits in 1.1 innings, while Davis Kirkpatrick was touched for three runs (all earned) on two hits and didn't record an out accounting for all eight of UNC's runs in the second inning. From that point on, ECU used six more hurlers in Matt Bridges (1.1 IP, 1 R), Cam Colmore (1.1 IP 0 R), Chris Holba (1.1 IP, 3 R), Zack Mozingo (0.2 IP, 1 R), Denny Brady (1.0 IP, 4 Rs) and Sam Lanier (2.0 IP, 0 R).

The Tar Heels pounded out 16 hits getting multiple base knocks from Brian Miller (three), Tyler Lynn (two), Adam Pate (two), Tyler Ramirez (two), Brandon Riley (two) and Eli Sutherland (two). Pate led the group with four RBI, while Ramirez and Roberts each drove in three for UNC.

Offensively ECU collected 14 hits with Charlie Yorgen leading the way with three base knocks. Kirk Morgan and Eric Tyler each produced a pair of hits, while seven others added one on the night. Morgan drove in two of ECU's four runs, while Tyler also had an RBI.

How It Happened:
Trailing 1-0 going to the top of the second, North Carolina put together a monster frame scoring eight runs with one out, which was highlighted by Lynn's solo home run and Ramirez' three-run shot putting the Tar Heels ahead 8-1. After Voliva got Logan Warmoth to ground out to start the inning, Lynn belted his first home of the season sending a full-count shot over the right field wall. From that point on, the Tar Heels had seven-straight batters reach base. Sutherland was hit by a pitch and took third on Riley's single to right field. Roberts reached on a safety squeeze bunt that plated Sutherland for a 2-1 lead.

Miller kept the inning going with a walk and Pate laced his second hit of the contest, a double down the left field line, that cleared the bases. Kyle Datres followed with a walk and Ramirez capped the frame with a three-run shot that went over the top of the scoreboard.

ECU jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on Morgan's RBI ground out. Parker Lamm was hit by a pitch to start the inning and was thrown out for the first time this year trying to take second base. Yorgen then reached on an infield single and Travis Watkins followed with a base knock to right field where he advanced to second on a throwing error by Pate. With runners at second and third and one out, Morgan rolled over on an Acker pitch grounding out to short and plating Yorgen.

UNC added to its lead in the third, 9-1, when Datres doubled home Miller from second base with a shot down the left field line.

A walk, single and a pair of wild pitches from Acker led to ECU's second run of the contest, which made it a 9-2 ball game in the third inning. With two outs, Watkins drew a walk and Morgan followed with a single up the middle putting runners at first and second. Both runners moved up two bases on consecutive wild pitches during Tyler's at-bat resulting in Watkins crossing home.

ECU pulled within five, 9-4, scratching across a pair of runs in the fifth inning. Morgan drove in his second run of the night with a single through the left side pushing across Yorgen. Tyler then followed with an RBI single to left field plating Watkins from second base.

UNC added to its lead scoring four runs in the sixth and four more in the eighth to cap the scoring at 17-4.

Game Notes:
Watkins extended his hit streak to seven games with a single in the first inning … He has recorded at least one base hit in 15 of 16 games this season … Lamm has reached base in all 16 games he has played with his single in the fifth inning … Yorgen has reached base safely in 10 games … Tyler and Yorgen registered their fifth multi-hit games of the season, while Morgan picked up his third … Morgan had his second multi-RBI of the game and has driven in five runs in the last four contests … ECU tallied its ninth double-digit hitting contest of the season and now owns a 7-2 record when recording 10 or more hits in a game … Today's attendance of 5,213 marked the 10th time in school history the Pirates had a crowd of over 5,000.

Up Next:
ECU will be back in action this weekend when it plays host to Monmouth for a three-game series starting Friday, March. 18. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. (ET).