April 22, 2008

Box Score

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - No. 2 North Carolina pounded out a season-high 22 hits and had five pitchers combine on a four-hit shutout in a 17-0 win over Charlotte Tuesday at Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium. The Tar Heels (35-7) became the first team in the nation to reach the 35-win mark and extended their season-best winning streak to 10 games with the victory.

Tuesday's shutout, which pushed the Tar Heels' winning streak against the 49ers (29-10) to 13 games, marked the first time that Charlotte was held scoreless in 179 games dating to 2005. Carolina ranks among the national leaders with seven shutouts, including two in the last three games to lower its NCAA-best ERA to 2.10.

Left fielder Kyle Shelton, who matched a career high with four hits for the third time this season, was one of seven Tar Heels to post multi-hit efforts as UNC improved the nation's second-best road record to 13-2. Dustin Ackley, who was 3-for-3 with three runs scored, and Seth Williams, who went 2-for-3 with three runs and three RBI, both hit two-run home runs to highlight the offensive effort.

Kyle Seager and Tim Fedroff each added three hits and two RBI, and Tim Federowicz and Greg Holt chipped in with two hits and two RBI apiece. Holt came off the bench to set career bests in both categories.

In a predetermined staff outing, sophomore left-hander Rob Catapano (4-0) held the 49ers hitless over 2 2/3 shutout innings but issued a career-high four walks and hit a batter. He left with the bases loaded in the third, but Rob Wooten ended the threat and went on to work a scoreless fourth inning.

Freshman righty Patrick Johnson worked three scoreless innings, and classmates Bryant Gaines and Ryan Leach closed with one shutout inning each.

Making his second straight start against the Tar Heels, Charlotte right-hander B.J. Hagen (2-2) allowed seven runs on nine hits and five walks in just 4 2/3 innings.

After being held in check by Hagen until the sixth inning last week, the Tar Heels jumped on the 49ers with three in the first on four singles. A walk to Ackley and a single to right by Shelton put runners on the corners for Fedroff, who put Carolina in the scoring column with a single up the middle to extend his current hitting streak to eight games.

Seager followed two batters later with his first RBI of the night on a single to right center to score Fedroff from second. After Federowicz reached on a fielder's choice, Mark Fleury closed the scoring in the first with a single up the middle to drive in Chad Flack from third.

Carolina struck for three more in the third with Williams' first home run since March 23 serving as the big blow. Seager was hit by a pitch and scored from first on a double to left center by Federowicz to open the scoring. Williams then connected on a towering shot down to left on 1-0 pitch from Hagen to push the UNC lead to 6-0.

After Charlotte went to the bullpen in the fifth, Ackley, who has hit safely in 11 straight games, greeted lefty Luke Stahl with a two-run shot to right a 2-1 offering to give the Tar Heels an eight-run cushion. Stahl was tagged for nine runs on 11 hits in just 1 2/3 innings.

After Holt's pinch-hit RBI single in the sixth moved the lead to 9-0, the Tar Heels sent 13 men to the plate and matched a single-inning season high with seven runs in the seventh. With the exception of a sacrifice fly by Flack, the first 10 batters in the inning reached base via base hit or walk.

After Carolina loaded the bases, Shelton, Fedroff, Flack and Seager all drove in runs in succession. A Federowicz single loaded the bases yet again, and Holt, Williams and pinch-hitter Ryan Graepel added RBI of their own to close the scoring. The seven hits in the inning were a single-inning high for UNC.

Federowicz drove in the final run of the night with an RBI grounder in the eighth.

The Tar Heels are back in action Wednesday at Cary's USA Baseball National Training Complex against High Point at 6 p.m.