Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Florida Atlantic
North Carolina
Dramatic Finish Propels UNC Past Florida Atlantic
2/24/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 24, 2008
Boca Raton, FL - Fifth-ranked North Carolina completed the most improbable of comebacks Sunday afternoon, scoring four runs in the ninth inning to defeat host Florida Atlantic 8-7. The comeback allowed UNC a series sweep, despite the weekend being a very competitive season debut between the two perennial NCAA Regional qualifiers.
North Carolina (3-0) trailed 7-4 heading into the ninth inning, but a leadoff homerun by catcher Tim Federowicz sparked a dramatic UNC rally which was culminated by Tim Fedroff's two-run go-ahead homer off the right field scoreboard.
The one-run victory was the second in as many days for the Tar Heels. Florida Atlantic (0-3) seemingly had the game in hand after plating three in the bottom of the seventh, with FAU's All-America outfielder Mike McKenna supplying a two-run single that broke open a 4-4 tie.
McKenna, who hit .413 as a junior in 2007, went 7-of-14 during the weekend series. Teammate Nick Arata, from nearby Davie, Florida, hit his first homerun of the season Sunday.
The comeback victory made a winner out of UNC's Ryan Leach (1-0). His 36-pitch effort was highlighted by a pair of timely strikeouts that got UNC out of a one-out jam in the before-mentioned FAU seventh.
Junior transfer Jeff Beliveau struck out three and allowed five hits in four innings in his first start of the season. Lefty Adam Morrison and senior Michael Obradovich (0-1) were used in relief.
SERIES NOTES: North Carolina completed a dramatic comeback on Sunday to register the sweep, but it was a very competitive series between two perennial NCAA Regional qualifiers... UNC posted a pair of one-run victories... FAU pounded out 32 hits (seven for extra-bases) and scored 21 runs in just three games against the two-time defending College World Series runners-up... Five different FAU players hit a homerun... OF Mike McKenna went 7-for-14 (.500 BA) and scored a team-high four runs... 1B Travis Ozga was 6-of-13 (.462 BA), homering, doubling and driving in three runs... OF Tom Hatcher had a four RBI day on Saturday, posting a team-high five for the series... Newcomer LH Adam Morrison struck out five UNC batters spanning two appearances and 3 2/3 innings... Junior LH Jeff Beliveau pitched four complete innings without allowing an earned run in his first start at FAU... Eight different Owl pitchers were used in relief, four of which did not allow an earned run... FAU will play at Bethune-Cookman TUE, vs. Mount St. Mary WED, vs. Eastern Michigan THU-SUN.
