Clemson Baseball Falls To UNC, 5-2

April 2, 2000

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Three UNC pitchers combined to allow Clemson just five hits and two unearned runs as North Carolina defeated the top-ranked Tigers 5-2 Sunday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium. Carolina, which won Friday-s series-opener 6-0, had not won a series with Clemson since the 1990 season. UNC improves to 27-6, 4-5 in the ACC, while Clemson falls to 24-6 overall, 4-2 in the ACC.

Chris Elmore (3-0) gave up two unearned runs on three hits while striking out three and walking five for his third win of the year. Derrick DePriest took the hill in the ninth and struck out two in registering his sixth save. Clemson starter Ryan Mottl (5-2) suffered the loss for Clemson.

The Tar Heels peppered Mottl with four runs on eight hits over 3.2 innings for the early advantage. Adam Greenberg and Dan Moylan led off the game with back-to-back singles and both later scored for a 2-0 lead after one inning. Greenberg scored on a balk by Mottl and Sean Farrell hit a two-out single to left field to score Moylan.

Carolina added runs in the third and fourth innings to lead 4-0 through four. Matt McCay singled home Tyrell Godwin in the third and Moylan-s fielder-s choice sent Ryan Earey home in the fourth inning.

Clemson scored two unearned runs in the top of the fifth, but McCay homered in the bottom half of the inning to push the Tar Heel lead to 5-2.

After seeing his 21-game hitting streak ended with hitless games on Friday and Saturday of the series, Greenberg was 3-for-4. McCay was 2-for-3 with two RBI, while Godwin stole two bases to aid the Carolina attack.

With the win, Elmore improved his career record to 13-2. His .867 all-time winning percentage ranks behind only two-time All-America Scott Bankhead who was 24-3 (.889) at UNC from 1982-84.

Michael Johnson extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

Clemson next plays host to Western Carolina on Tuesday at 7:15 PM.