Heels blow out Bulldogs

When you hit just behind the heart of the order for the nation's No. 1 baseball team you're bound to bat with some runners on base.

Mark Fleury has made the most of those opportunities this year" and Wednesday was another big game for UNC's budding RBI machine.

Fleury drove in a career-high five runs from the six-spot and smashed a grand slam to lead UNC to a 10-3 win against Gardner-Webb.

Fleury has had multiple RBIs in five out of nine games this year — already one more than in the entire 2007-08 season. He now leads the team with 17 runs batted in.

""I've got it made" Fleury said. I've got five of the best hitters in the country in front of me and it seems every time I go up there" I have runners in scoring position or bases loaded. It makes hitting a whole lot easier.""

It wasn't just with runners on base when Fleury was effective Wednesday. In fact" Gardner-Webb (3-4) didn't get him out all day. Fluery hit an RBI double and walked twice in addition to the grand slam.

The home run his third of the year was part of a six-run sixth inning that broke the game open for the Tar Heels (8-1).

It also all but assured starting pitcher redshirt sophomore Bryant Gaines of his first career win.

Gaines who is most often used out of the bullpen set new personal bests with five innings pitched and six strikeouts. He allowed two runs" one of them earned.

Redshirt freshman Garrett Davis also made his first appearance back on the mound since having Tommy John surgery in March 2008. He struck out two batters in one inning of relief.

""That was a special part of the day" UNC coach Mike Fox said. After the year he's had coming off of Tommy John surgery" to finally get out there and pitch. And I thought he looked very good.""

Fox also made a major lineup change entering Wednesday's game. For the first eight games" centerfielder Mike Cavasinni started in the leadoff spot for the Tar Heels. But in that time he batted just .171.

The previous weekend series against Seton Hall was especially rough for Cavasinni" who went just 2-13 with no walks and two strikeouts.

Fox dropped Cavasinni to the eighth spot in the order and replaced him at the top with leftfielder Ben Bunting.

""Ben's been swinging it well" and he looks at the ball good Fox said. His on-base percentage is a little bit better" so we just tried to take a little pressure off of (Cavasinni).""

The move worked. Bunting" who hasn't struck out yet this year led off the game by slapping a single through the left side and came around to score.

Though he never hit the ball hard he put it in all the right places.

Bunting tied his career high for the second straight game with three hits" and the sophomore  scored twice.

""I was excited"" Bunting said about leading off. I just knew I had to keep the same approach because you only lead off the game once — it's just like a normal at-bat after that.""

The game was North Carolina's final tune-up before its first ACC play this season" a three-game series with Clemson this weekend.



Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.