Huge 5th inning propels UNC

The No. 13 North Carolina baseball team returned home Tuesday evening stuck in a rut after a demoralizing three-game sweep at the hands of N.C. State this past weekend.

But after falling behind 2-0 to Coastal Carolina, the Tar Heels got a push from Chanticleers pitchers Keith Hessler and Stefan del Pino, who issued three walks and a hit-by-pitch to help the Tar Heels to a 3-2 lead.

Colin Moran took it from there. The freshman smacked a bases-loaded bullet to center field that plated three of UNC’s seven fifth-inning runs and put the Tar Heels in cruise control for an 8-3 win.

“Coming off of this weekend, obviously we got swept by State and you never want that to happen,” UNC shortstop Levi Michael said. “But I think it’s going to turn into a positive for us. It humbled us a little bit and refocused us, so now I think we’re ready to go for the rest of the season.”

The Tar Heels (31-8, 12-6 ACC) came into the game with their work cut out for them against a CCU team that has qualified for the NCAA tournament in each of the past four seasons and currently sits in first place in the Big South conference.

In his first career start, UNC right-hander Andrew Smith gave up a pair of line drives and a walk to load the bases before the last of his 26 first-inning pitches struck out Taylor Motter to end the threat.

Still, CCU (24-13, 10-2 Big South) broke through with two runs in the second. Smith might have incurred further damage were it not for catcher Jacob Stallings, who caught Tucker Frawley dead-to-rights after he tried to steal second on a fastball in the dirt.

It was Stallings’ ACC-leading 20th runner caught stealing of the season. The league’s nearest catcher has thrown out 11 runners.

“Luckily the ball stayed pretty close to me,” Stallings said. “I knew that we were throwing through so I just went ahead and (second baseman) Tommy (Coyle) made a really good play out there.”

It was one of several nice plays by Coyle in the first game after a weekend that had been particularly unkind to him.

After making three errors and reaching base safely just once in Raleigh, Coyle was the first Tar Heel to get a hit off Hessler with a ground ball through the right side in the third. Later, he drove in UNC’s first run by working a full-count walk with the bases loaded.

Coyle’s success extended to the field, where he made a bare-handed play to deny Jacob May a bunt single in the top of the fourth.

“He’s about as tough a nut as I’ll ever coach here, he doesn’t let any of that phase him,” UNC coach Mike Fox said. “I have a lot of confidence in Tommy, he’ll be fine.”

Coyle’s defense helped Smith keep the Tar Heels in the game after the second inning. Smith bounced back with two scoreless frames, again working out of trouble in the third when he got Motter to ground out to third with two outs and runners at the corners.

“I thought he was good, not as sharp as he typically is, but I think he’ll continue to be a good starter for us,” Stallings said. “I think it was a good learning experience for him.”

The same might be said for the rest of the Tar Heels.

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@dailytarheel.com.