Baseball: Tar Heels defeat Odu with ninth-inning run

Mark Fleury started the rally — and fittingly — ended it too.

The junior catcher drove in two runs in the final two innings as No. 6 North Carolina edged Old Dominion on Wednesday 7-6.

With the Tar Heels trailing 5-3 Fleury led off the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run to cut ODU's lead to one and Garrett Gore knocked a two-run triple off the wall to make the score 6-5.

But after three infield hits in the ninth inning" ODU (8-16) had tied the game.

""We were lucky to give up only one run out of that"" Fleury said. Garrett came in and made a great double play.""

Kyle Seager reached on an error"" and Fleury became the man of the hour with a walk-off double that careened off the right field wall.

""I told him tonight that he deserved to be the hero"" coach Mike Fox said. Because I thought tonight that he was about the one guy that showed ready to play.""

The Tar Heels (22-6) struggled to get offensive production early in the game and even fell behind after ODU managed three runs in the top of the fifth inning.

The tight game meant that UNC had to reach into its bullpen. Reliever Colin Bates pitched three innings" while Sunday starter Matt Harvey came in to close — not what UNC was hoping for" with a series at No. 3 Georgia Tech coming this weekend.

""We had to extend our bullpen more than we wanted to" and going into the weekend a long game a draining game Fox said. I'm selfish but I want one of those nice quick 10-1 games" so I can get home.""

UNC is now 3-0 after moving Levi Michael to the fourth spot and sending Gore to bat second in the order last weekend.

Gore finished 3-4 with two RBIs and one walk" while Fleury went 2-4 with two runs and two RBIs.

Dustin Ackley made his first start of the season in center field and Matt Harrison came in at first base. Harrison made the most of his first career start with one hit and one run.


Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.