March 15, 2006

Box Score

Second baseman Kyle Shelton, left fielder Jay Cox and first baseman Chad Flack combined for seven hits, six runs scored and five runs batted in from the top three spots in the order and five pitchers teamed to strikeout 12 batters as No. 3 North Carolina notched a 9-5 win over George Mason Tuesday in game one of a two-game midweek series at Boshamer Stadium.

Flack, Cox and Tim Federowicz each homered as the Tar Heels (14-2) rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to improve to 12-1 at home this season. Flack was 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two RBI, while Shelton matched a career-high with three hits, two runs scored and one driven in. Cox had his third straight multi-hit game with a 2-for-4 effort, including a two-run home run. Right fielder Matt Spencer also chipped in with two hits and a pair of stolen bases.

Starter Jared Petrovich (0-1) took the loss for Mason after allowing four runs on six hits over four innings. Shortstop Brent Weiss had three hits to lead the Patriots (7-11) at the plate.

After falling behind in the second on a three-run home run by George Mason left fielder Ryan Uphouse, the Tar Heels hit three homers and scored seven unanswered runs to take a 7-3 lead through five.

The Patriots picked up two more runs in the sixth on RBI singles by Weiss and center fielder Spencer Wiggins, but Carolina came back with a pair of insurance runs in the seventh. Junior reliever Matt Danford (1-1) earned the win after allowing just two hits and striking out four over 3.2 scoreless innings. Freshman Adam Warren also worked two shutout frames, and sophomore Tyler Trice closed out the win with a scoreless ninth. Starter Rob Wooten allowed three runs in 1.1 innings.

The Tar Heels and Patriots conclude their two-game series at 2 p.m. Wednesday.