June 5, 2004

Box Score

Columbia, SC - Matt Ellington drove-in three runs and Chase Younts scored two runs and drove-in one to help No. 2 North Carolina down No. 4 The Citadel 6-3 and eliminate the Bulldogs from the NCAA Regional in front of 2,118 fans at Sarge Frye Field. Making it to the third game on day two of the Regional marks the farthest the Bulldogs have advanced in NCAA postseason play since 1998, when they went 1-2 in the Clemson Regional.

North Carolina (43-20) scored two in the second to take a quick two-run lead, 2-0. With runners on second and third, Matt Ellington singled to center driving home two for the first runs of the game.

The Citadel (39-28) got on the board and cut the lead in half 2-1 on a RBI-double to right-centerfield by sophomore first baseman Mark Egleton. After reaching on an infield single, junior second baseman Jon Aughey scored from first on Egleton's seventh double of the year. UNC added a run in the third thanks to a run-scoring single by Sammy Hewitt that allowed Chase Younts to score after he led off the inning with a base on balls.

The Bulldogs knotted the game at 3-3 with two runs in the bottom of the third. With the bases loaded, Aughey plated sophomore centerfielder Matt Covington on a RBI-single through the left side of the infield for the Dogs first run of the frame. One batter later, Egleton picked up a RBI on a sacrifice fly to left that drove-in junior third baseman Chris Ard for the tying run.

The Tar Heels quickly retook the lead 5-3 on a RBI-single by Younts and a run-scoring double by Marshall Hubbard. Citadel reliever Griff Beckham came on with two outs and struck out Hewitt on four pitchers to squelch the rally and end the inning without any further damage.

In the top of the fifth, North Carolina extended their lead to 6-3 thanks to a sac-fly off the bat of Ellington. After Mike Daniel led off the inning with a double and moved to third on bunt, Ellington flew to left driving home Daniel from third.

The Dogs attempted a rally in the bottom of the seventh, but UNC closer Mike Gross struck out junior right fielder Josh Stackley on three straight pitches to strand runners on the corners and hold the three-run Tar Heel lead.

North Carolina reliever Whitley Benson (5-1) pitched 4.1 scoreless innings to pick up the win; while Gross pitched the final three innings to earn his eighth save of the season. Citadel starter Chip Cannon (5-4) took the loss after not making it out of the fourth. He surrendered five runs on nine hits. Beckham, who pitched 5.1 innings in relief of Cannon, allowed one run on four hits, while fanning

UNC will go on to face South Carolina in the Regional championship tomorrow at 1:30 pm at Sarge Frye Field, while the Bulldogs will finish the season with a 39-28 record and the Southern Conference Tournament Championship trophy.