Feb. 19, 2000

Box Score & Play-by-Play

By: Joe Bray
TarHeelBlue.com

Los Angeles, Calif. -- In one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the North Carolina baseball program, the Tar Heels rallied for 13 runs in the top of the ninth inning to overcome a 13-4 deficit and post a miraculous 17-13 win over the second-ranked UCLA Bruins at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles.

Ryan Earey and Sean Farrell, two of the key players in Carolina's comeback, had big nights at the plate for the Heels. Earey was 3-4 with four RBI, while Farrell was 3-5 with five RBI.

The 13-run inning came at the expense of three Bruin pitchers. Ryan Carter, who came on in relief in the seventh, gave up five runs while getting no one out. Tyler Dickerson came on and recorded a walk and a hit batter before the Bruins called on closer Chad Cislak. Cislak (0-2) gave up six runs to take the loss.

Earey and Farrell helped the Heels quickly cut into the Bruins' lead in the unlikely final inning. Clay Hooper and Tyrell Godwin singled to start the inning, then Earey launched a one-handed blast to cut the lead to 13-7. Ryan Blake followed with a walk, and Farrell made it a ball game again at 13-9 with a two-run shot. Carolina then loaded the bases with no outs before Dan Moylan struck out for the first out of the inning. Hooper was then hit by a pitch to make the score 13-10. Hooper was one of four Carolina batters to be hit by a pitch in the last inning.

A walk to Godwin made the score 13-11, then Earey was hit by a pitch to cut the deficit to one. Fittingly, the Heels tied the score when Ryan Blake was hit by another errant Bruin pitch. Farrell's two-run double to right gave UNC a 15-13 lead. McCay's bunt single drove in Blake, then Farrell scored the inning's final run on Chris Maple's sacrifice bunt.

Closer Derrick DePriest came on in relief in the bottom of the ninth and gave up a single and a walk to put two on with one out. However, Farrell made a great defensive play at third base when he pulled down pinch-hitter Randall Shelley's line shot, then Bill Scott grounded out to short to end the game.