Kyle Datres was issued a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth to lift North Carolina to a 10-9 marathon win over UNCW in a non-conference baseball game at Boshamer Stadium on Tuesday night.
With the win, the Tar Heels (27-15) snapped a three-game losing skid, while the Seahawks (27-10) saw their 12-game winning streak halted. The game lasted 4 hours and 19 minutes, which was a season-long effort for the Seahawks.
Nick Feight and Casey Golden collected two hits apiece. Feight drove in two runs and Golden added three RBI’s. Joe Bertone also connected on his first home run of the season.
In the ninth, Brian Miller singled to open the inning and moved to second on a passed ball. After a walk and hit by pitch loaded the bases, Jared Gesell followed with a strike out, but walked Datres on a full count to force in the winning run.
UNC managed to get its lead-off hitter on base in six innings and that runner came around to score four times. The Tar Heels also plated six runs with two outs
Bertone’s home run was the first of the season and 10th of his career. Both teams posted six-run innings with UNC’s coming in the first and UNCW’s in the third. Both of Feight’s hits were doubles and he raised his season total of RBI’s to 70.
The game featured a combined 15 walks, 11 by UNCW, three hit batters and eight errors, five by UNC.
Hansen Butler (3-0) earned the win, going two innings, while UNCW’s Gesell (1-2) took the loss.
The Seahawks open an eight-game home stand on Wednesday with a 6 p.m. start against High Point.
