UNC takes advantage of ECU errors

East Carolina had plundered 22 opponents entering Tuesday night’s game at Boshamer Stadium.

But it was the Pirates’ five blunders that cost them against North Carolina.

The Tar Heels (30-5) were able to take advantage of the visitors’ five errors and win 5-3.

“We got a few breaks but we made a few for ourselves,” UNC coach Mike Fox said. “Our guys are playing with confidence and they think they’re going win.”

In the bottom of the first, Colin Moran came through with another clutch two-out hit for his team-leading 48th RBI of the season.

In the fourth, the Tar Heels capitalized on two straight errors by shortstop Jack Reinheimer to add two more runs and go up 3-0.

But there was no quit in the Pirates and they were able to finally get to UNC starter Bryant Gaines in the top of the fifth. UNC used four pitchers in the inning alone as ECU scrapped across three runs on three singles, a hit by pitch and a fielder’s choice.

The tie didn’t last very long though as the errors were contagious for the Pirates — in the seventh it was ECU’s other middle infielder, second baseman Drew Reynolds, who caught a batch of the blunders. Thanks to his two errors in the inning and a sacrifice fly by Jesse Wierzbicki, UNC scored two more runs and took the 5-3 lead.

“We got some breaks obviously the way they played defense in the middle,” Fox said. “You play two young guys in the middle like that and you’re going to have good nights you’re going to have bad ones. They just didn’t make plays.”

Levi Michael led the way offensively for the Tar Heels, going 3-4 with two runs scored, and he was quick to give some acknowledgment to the other Tar Heel hitters.

“They made a lot of mistakes defensively tonight and we definitely capitalized on those, but I think our hitters do a good job of not giving any at bats away and we don’t get ourselves out much,” Michael said. “It goes both ways, so you got to give some credit to our hitters, too.”

While UNC’s hitters were taking advantage of ECU’s mistakes, UNC pitchers were dealing with the Pirate offense. The Tar Heels used seven different pitchers and only the starter Gaines and closer Michael Morin pitched more than one inning.

“That’s the good thing about our team is we just kind of cycle through guys and someone gets the job done,” Morin said. “I think that’s why we’ve been doing so well, every night someone new is stepping up.”

Despite pitching all three games last weekend including three innings on Sunday, Morin was up to the task of finishing the game.

“I’m going to need some ice after tonight, but you can’t turn down an opportunity to throw,” he said. “The adrenaline gets you through it.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@dailytarheel.com.