Moss struck out eight and gave up only four hits over six and two-thirds innings but a couple of errors and a couple of bad breaks spelled doom for the Tar Heels, who still have hopes of getting an NCAA bid.
The first error led to an unearned run for Virginia in the fourth inning. With two outs, UNC’s Landon Lassiter, subbing for injured shortstop Michael Russell, threw high and wild to first for an error that allowed the first run of the game to come home for Virginia.
The first bad break came in the bottom of the fourth when UNC’s Korey Dunbar bounced one out of the park in right field. The ball was curving and had it not gone out probably would have banged around in the corner, allowing UNC’s Adrian Chacon to score. But the ground-rule double kept Chacon at third.
“I don’t know if Adrian Chacon would have scored on that or not but I sure would have been waving him home,” UNC coach Mike Fox said. “The game swings both ways and you get breaks some days and some days you don’t.”
Still trailing 1-0 in the seventh, Carolina’s second error led to Virginia’s second run. With a runner on first, a ground ball handcuffed UNC third baseman Alex Raburn. Instead of a possible double play or at least an easy out at first, the error gave the Cavs two on and no out.
A squeeze bunt scored Virginia’s John La Prise as Moss couldn’t get the ball out of his glove cleanly. It was still a close play but La Prise slid under the tag giving the Cavs a 2-0 lead.
After a Virginia throwing error, Carolina second baseman Wood Myers stroked his first home run off the season, clearing the right field wall on a line to tie the score at 2-2.
The Cavaliers came right back in the top of the eighth. UNC reliever Zach Rice hit the lead off batter Joe McCarthy although Carolina coaches didn’t think so. With one out, and UNC relief pitcher Spencer Trayner in the game, McCarthy stole second base.
UVA’s Derek Fisher grounded one up the middle off Myers’ glove, that was ruled a hit, and Cavs re-took the lead at 3-2.
The Tar Heels, who stranded 11 runners on base, left runners on second base in both the eighth and ninth innings to conclude a frustrating game for Carolina.
“Another one-run loss to add to our resume,” Fox said. “Benton was sensational tonight and certainly pitched well enough to win.”
On the other side, three Virginia pitchers combined for 12 strike outs. “Almost every inning but one we had a big strike out in an inning with people in scoring position and that’s something you can’t do,” Fox said. “It’s a great credit to their pitching.”
Starter Brandon Waddell struck out seven over five innings but it was actually Whit Mayberry, who gave up the Carolina runs, that took the win while Rice, who only pitched a third of an inning, got the loss due the hit batter scoring.
“It’s the pitcher versus the hitter and the pitcher won more than not against us tonight,” Fox said. “It was very frustrating.”
Carolina actually outhit Virginia 9-6 but couldn’t come up with the big hit.
The Tar Heels last game in the round-robin tournament comes Saturday afternoon against Maryland and a win could go a long way toward ensuring an NCAA bid for the 33-25 Heels.
“It would just be nice to end on a win here,” Fox said. “There will be something on the line for us but there has been for probably the last eight or 10 games. It won’t be anything new.”
If Duke can beat Miami Saturday morning, the Devils will be in the ACC title game Sunday.