TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – North Carolina used a seven-run third inning en route to a 7-6 win over Florida State in Tallahassee Sunday afternoon breaking the Seminoles’ streak of 25 consecutive Sunday victories. Greg Holt earned the win tossing 4.2 innings of relief, while Michael Morin notched his second save in as many days.
Carolina’s one through five hitters combined for 10 hits, five runs and six RBI as the Tar Heels claimed the series 2-1. The series victory was the first for the Tar Heels in Tallahassee in their last eight trips dating back to a 1995 series win over the Seminoles.
The Tar Heels fell behind for the 11th straight game but battled back once again and own a 9-2 record in those games.
The Seminoles struck for a run in the very first inning when starter Chris Munnelly walked the bases loaded before Greg Holt came on. James Ramsey hit a ball in the hole at short that he was able to leg out for a single to make it 1-0 before Holt would bear down.
Back-to-back strike outs swinging and a ground ball to Levi Michael at shortstop would close out what looked to be a game-breaking inning. The Seminoles would get to Holt in the second as they rattled off three singles for another run taking a 2-0 lead to the top of the third.
The Tar Heel bats awoke in the top of the third taking advantage of a lead off walk to Tom Zengel. Seth Baldwin doubled down the right field line to put a pair in scoring position before four straight batters tallied RBI singles.
Ben Bunting made it 2-1 with his before Levi Michael, Tommy Coyle and Jacob Stallings made it 4-2. The ACC’s RBI leader Colin Moran then added to his total when he laced a pitch into right field to plate Coyle and Stallings making the score 6-2 in favor of the Tar Heels.
Zengel spot in the order would come back around as he hit a sharp ground ball to first allowing Moran to score from third and cap off an impressive seven-run inning for the Tar Heels.
Following the productive third inning the Tar Heel bats would be silented not advancing a runner past second base until the top of the ninth inning.
A two-out walk followed by a RBI double would spell the end of the day for Holt as Cody Stiles came on. Stiles hit the only batter he would face as Cody Penny came on in relief. A single would make the score 7-4 before a fly out ended the two-run fifth inning.
R.C. Orlan came on in the sixth after Penny suffered a lead off single. Orlan struck out the first batter he faced before Mike McGee took a pitch opposite field for a two-run home run cutting the lead to 7-6.
Orlan was able to get the next two guys in the sixth but a lead off walk in the seventh would end his day.
Coming off a save the night before Michael Morin looked just as impressive Sunday afternoon as he struck out the first two batters he faced before getting a fly out to left field to end the threat.
The Seminoles struck for a pair of singles in the bottom of the eighth and looked to be mounting a come back but Morin struck out Jayce Boyd to end the inning and keep Carolina in front heading to the ninth.
Levi Michael was hit by a pitch with one out in the ninth and moved to third on a single by Jacob Stallings but a fly out would end Carolina’s chances of adding an insurance run.
Morin came out for his third inning of work in the bottom of the ninth and forced Sherman Johnson into a ground out for out number one. Another strike out, Morin’s fifth of the day put two outs the board before the sophomore right-hander got Justin Gonzalez to hit a one-hopper to Michael at short to cap off the series-clinching win.
Carolina moves to 29-5 on the year and 12-3 in conference play and have now won four straight conference series for the first time since 2008.
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