Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
North Carolina (Game 1)
Tigers Swept in Baseball Doubleheader at North Carolina
March 15, 2005 | Baseball
March 15, 2005
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Chapel Hill, N.C. - The Princeton baseball team fell 12-3 and 6-5 in a pair of games against ninth-ranked North Carolina at Boshamer Stadium. Junior Ryan Eldridge hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth to tie the second game at 5-5, but a UNC home run in the bottom half of the inning won the game for the Tar Heels.
The Tigers (0-7) dropped the opener by a score of 12-3. North Carolina (14-3) got to the Tigers early, plating runs in each of their first four at-bats in the game. The Tar Heels scored four in the first, one in the second, three in the third and one in the fourth. Princeton chipped off a run in the second off a solo home run by junior Andrew Salini to the opposite field. It was Salini's second homer of the season. Princeton made the score 9-3 in the fifth inning on its second home run of the day. Junior Zach Wendkos led off with a single through the left side, putting one on for junior Stephen Wendell, who drilled his second home run in as many days over the wall in left field. UNC recorded an out before two more Tigers reached base on singles, but the Tar Heels got the final two outs to get out of the inning.
Wendkos and freshman Spencer Lucian each recorded two hits in the game, while Salini and Wendell each had one, a home run. The Tar Heels added three more runs in the seventh inning to make the final score 12-3. Mike Daniel was the offensive leader for UNC, going 4-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Freshman Christian Staehely pitched three innings, allowing eight runs, six earned, on eight hits. He struck out a pair before making way for Senior Chad Tongue in the fourth. Tongue worked four innings and gave up four runs on seven hits. One of the runs was unearned. Freshman Reid Peyton struck out two in a scoreless final inning.
Adam Kalkhof picked up the win for North Carolina as he allowed three runs on six hits. Bryan Phillips and Rob Wooten pitched three and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief.
In Game 2, the Tigers fell behind in the first inning, but kept the game close throughout. North Carolina scored a run in the first and three in the third off Tiger freshman starter Steven Miller. In the first, a double by Matt Ellington scored Justin Webb, and in the third, doubles from Mike Daniel and Reid Fronk scored Tar Heel runs. UNC added a run in the fifth after Seth Williams walked to reach base.
Princeton cut the lead to 5-3 with three runs in the top of the eighth. Junior Matthew Becker led off with a double to left field. He advanced to third on a widl pitch and scored on Lucian's groundout. Senior Will Venable and sophomore Sal Iacono both walked and Venable scored when senior Adam Balkan singled to left center. Iacono advanced to third on the play and scored on a groundout by freshman Micah Kaplan.
The Tigers knotted the score up in dramatic fashion in the top of the ninth inning when Eldridge hit a pinch-hit two-run homer well over the right-field wall. Senior Paul Ackerman reached base on a throwing error by the shortstop to begin the inning. UNC was able to gett the next two outs, but Eldridge's third homer of the season was enough to even the score.
Miller allowed four runs on six hits in three innings. Senior Worth Lumry tossed the next three innings and allowed an unearned run on one hit. Sophomore Gavin Fabian pitched a scoreless seventh inning. Balkan pitched a scoreless eighth, but allowed the game-winning homer in the ninth.
Five UNC pitchers combined in the win. Matt Danford picked up the win for the Tar Heels.
Princeton has tomorrow off and returns to action on Thursday afternoon at North Carolina A&T. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.