March 24, 2006
ATLANTA – Andrew Miller struck out 13 batters in seven shutout innings to lead No. 2 North Carolina (20-3, 5-2 ACC) to a 2-0 win over No. 4 Georgia Tech (18-4, 3-4) in the opener of a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series on Friday night at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Miller (5-0) established a new career high with 13 strikeouts, holding the Yellow Jackets scoreless on four hits and one walk in seven innings.
Andrew Carignan recorded his team-leading fifth save of the year by pitching two shutout innings and striking out three batters.
Tech starter Blake Wood (5-2) was the tough luck loser, holding the Tar Heels to two runs on five hits in 6.2 innings. The Yellow Jackets’ bullpen of Jared Hyatt, Lee Hyde, Brad Rulon and Danny Payne combined to work 2.2 scoreless and hitless innings.
Matt Wieters recorded three of Georgia Tech’s six hits in the game. The Yellow Jackets outhit the Tar Heels, 6-5.
The Tar Heels took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Chad Flack was hit by a pitch and scored on a RBI double from Tim Federowicz. In the second inning, North Carolina loaded the bases with one out and extended the lead to 2-0 on Chad Flack’s RBI groundout. Tech had a chance to escape without allowing a run, but Wood elected to throw back to second base instead of taking the force out at home after Flack hit a two-hopper right back to the mound.
The Yellow Jackets had opportunities to get on the scoreboard in the second and fourth innings, but stranded a runner at third base with one out on both occasions. In the second, Wieters singled, Whit Robbins walked and a groundout from Luke Murton put runners on first and third with one out. But Miller struck out the next two batters to end the threat. In the fourth, a single from Wieters and a double from Robbins put runners on second and third with one out, but again Miller struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
Miller dominated the Tech lineup all night, striking out the side in the fourth inning and recording two strikeouts in the first, second, third and seventh innings. The Yellow Jackets advanced just one runner into scoring position after the fourth inning.
Tech mounted a threat against Carignan in the eighth inning but failed to score. Consecutive singles from Jeff Kindel and Wieters put two runners on base with one out, but Carignan recorded a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning and preserve the shutout.
Georgia Tech and North Carolina continue the series on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Saturday’s game will be televised by Fox Sports Net South.
