North Carolina baseball earns fifth ACC win

The North Carolina baseball team (29-2, 12-2 ACC) claimed its fifth ACC series win with a sweep of Maryland. But the way UNC won was different from the standard the top-ranked team has become accustomed to this season.

“We played from behind (Saturday) and (Sunday), so it was a little different,” third baseman Colin Moran said. “We haven’t played too much from behind this year.”

Friday’s game was the only time in the series when UNC dominated its opponent.

Left-hander Kent Emanuel secured the win and received strong offensive support to earn a 12-4 victory.

“There were a few good spots,” coach Mike Fox said. “But this weekend just shows you how hard it is to win three games in this league and beat somebody three times.”

The Terrapins opened the scoring Saturday with two runs on starter Benton Moss in the first inning. UNC scored single runs in the second and third innings before Maryland took a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning. The Tar Heels responded with three runs in their own fourth frame to regain the lead.

The Terrapins attempted to rally in the ninth, but pitcher Trent Thornton came out of the bullpen and retired three batters with a groundout and two strikeouts, stranding an inherited runner at third base for his first career save in the 5-3 win.

Fox said he was proud of his freshman pitcher for throwing strikes in the late-game situation.

An 8-4 Sunday win secured the weekend sweep, with UNC earning runs with its power and baserunning.

First baseman Cody Stubbs belted a home run in the fourth inning, and Moran bolstered the UNC lead in the eighth with a two-run roundtripper.

UNC started and ended its scoring with home runs, but in between the Tar Heels were only able to score on Terrapin mistakes.

“It was a tough, hard-fought win for us. I thought we were very lucky to win, quite honestly,” Fox said.

Part of the comeback was working against a Maryland pitching staff that was throwing around UNC, just as Fox himself said he would have. The two home runs came when Terrapin pitchers let up.

“They stayed away from me all day and they pitched me backwards,” Stubbs said. “And they stayed in on Colin a lot, but luckily the pitcher made a mistake right over the plate and we both got (runs).”

UNC scored one run in the fifth inning before sloppy play by the Terrapins helped out the Tar Heels in the sixth.

After two singles, UNC runners advanced on a wild pitch, which loaded the bases, before Maryland pitcher Jamie Pashuck came out of the bullpen.

Pashuck hit two consecutive Tar Heel batters, bringing in a run each time, before he was pulled off the mound.

Another single against Pashuck’s replacement, Bobby Ruse, and a walk gave UNC four runs before the inning’s end.

“I thought we got outplayed and just took advantage of some walks on their part,” Fox said. “We had to climb from behind. It was kind of the good, the bad and the ugly today.”

Contact the desk editor at sports@dailytarheel.com.