Baseball: UNC bats catch _¶ re as nine Heels record a hit

By the time North Carolina starting pitcher Jimmy Messer reached the second inning against Richmond on Wednesday his Tar Heels already were sporting a 3-0 lead.

And despite a big Spiders sixth inning and threat in the ninth" UNC held on to win 12-8.

""We needed every run tonight" coach Mike Fox said. We stepped up there" and Mark (Fleury) got a couple big hits and (Dustin Ackley) as well. We needed every run we had.""

UNC third baseman Kyle Seager picked up where he left off Tuesday" registering three RBIs and two runs on three hits the first of which was a two-RBI double that plated UNC's second and third runs in the first inning.

But Seager wasn't the only Tar Heel to reach base on multiple occasions — eight did.

Taking a break from his catching duties Fleury got his at-bats as UNC's DH and compiled one of the most impressive of the Tar Heel stat lines going 2-for-3 with two doubles two walks two RBIs and two runs.

But Fleury was quick to credit the performance of his teammates" specifically those who got on base ahead of him.

""It relaxes you more. It makes the pitcher concentrate not only on you" but the guy on base Fleury said. I think every time up" I had a guy in scoring position. So it definitely makes hitting a little bit easier.""

While Seager" Fleury and the rest of the Tar Heels were rocking the Richmond pitching staff Messer stayed in control.

For five frames the freshman pitched scoreless ball. In that same span" a trio of Spiders pitchers prevented UNC from scoring in just one of those innings.

""I struggled early on this season" so going out there and throwing like that it feels really good Messer said. I'm starting to get back into a rhythm. I've still got a lot of work to do" though.""

After shattering his career-long outing of one and a third innings" Messer got worked for six Spider runs (three earned) in the sixth" eventually getting pulled in favor of Logan Munson.

But Fox couldn't have been prouder of his rookie hurler after the game.

""I thought the story line was Jimmy Messer giving us a six-inning start because we had three pitchers available for tonight" and that was it Fox said. We were like ‘Gosh we really need him to give us five or six innings"' or we'd have been scrambling there at the end.""

Saturday was a homecoming of sorts for two Richmond relievers as former Tar Heels Brian Farrell and Jared Bard toed the rubber for the Spiders.

In that return"" UNC tattooed the duo for six runs in just an inning and two-thirds of work.

""It's bittersweet because both of those guys are great friends" Fleury said. But when it comes down to it it's baseball" and you've got to put friendships aside.""

UNC gets one day off before heading to Tallahassee" Fla." for a three-game series with ACC foe Florida State.

""They're a good club" Fleury said. It's going to be a crazy atmosphere ‘The Animals of Section Nine' I think is what they're called. It's going to be wild" and it's going to be fun.""



Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.