May 7, 2009

Box Score

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - All-America Dustin Ackley belted two home runs, including a walk-off solo shot in the 12th inning, as No. 1 North Carolina overcame a sluggish start to outlast Longwood, 5-4 in 12 innings, Thursday in the regular season home finale at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels (37-11) allowed four unearned runs over the first three frames but rallied for their 10th victory in the last 11 games.

With one away in the 12th, Ackley lined a 2-1 offering from Longwood reliever Lance Harting (5-7) over the right field wall for the game-winner and his fourth multi-homer game this season and the sixth of his career. He was 3-for-5 and drove in four of Carolina's five runs on the night for his third game with at least three RBI in the last four outings.

Ackley, whose 15 homers are the most by a Tar Heel since 2006, hit a two-run home run in the third and added game-tying single in the fifth. Mark Fleury also hit his 11th home run for Carolina.

Garrett Gore added two hits, and Ben Bunting reached base four times on three walks and a bunt single.

The last of Carolina's six pitchers, freshman Jacob Stallings, retired all three batters he faced in the top of the 12th to earn the win in his first career appearance on the mound. After Greg Holt turned in a career-best outing with three strikeouts over 2 1/3 scoreless innings, Colin Bates fanned five over three shutout frames and Brian Moran needed just five pitches to work out of a jam in the 11th. The UNC bullpen combined for 7 1/3 scoreless frames.

Casey Havers was 3-for-5, and Brant Jones went 2-for-6 with two RBI to lead the Lancers (25-18).

The first of two UNC errors was costly, as it came with two out in the second and led to three unearned runs for the Longwood. The first run crossed the plate when Ryan Graepel misplayed a grounder off the bat of Scott Kimble, and Jones followed with a two-run single for a 3-0 Longwood lead.

After a second Tar Heel fielding miscue led to a fourth unearned run in the third, Ackley energized Carolina with his two-run shot into the trees in right center in the bottom of the inning. Bunting drew his second walk of the night to put one on, and Ackley followed with his first homer of the night on a 3-1 offering from Heidler.

Fleury then drilled the second of three UNC home runs - a solo shot to left to lead off the fourth - to trim the Longwood lead to 4-3.

Bunting's third free pass, and Ackley's second straight RBI base hit led to the game-tying run in the fifth. After Bunting's walk, Levi Michael reached on a fielding error and Ackley singled through the right side off reliever Chris Briere to knot the score at four until he broke the tie with his solo homer in the 12th.

Ackley's walk-off shot was the first by a Tar Heel since Seth Williams beat Charlotte with a ninth-inning home run April 10, 2007.

UNC starter Jimmy Messer went 4 2/3 innings and allowed four unearned runs on nine hits and three walks, while striking out three. Longwood starter Paul Heidler II worked four innings and gave up three runs on two homers. He walked three and struck out three.

The Tar Heels are back in action Friday for the start of a three-game set with NC State in Raleigh.