Johnson?s Two Homers Lift No. 1 North Carolina To 8-4 Win Over Duke

Friday, April 28

Durham, N.C.

7:00 PM

Duke University

North Carolina

Tonight?s Duke-Davidson Baseball Game Postponed Due To Rain

Johnson?s Two Homers Lift No. 1 North Carolina To 8-4 Win Over Duke

4/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. ? Catcher Benji Johnson hit a pair of home runs and second baseman Bryan Steed added another long ball to lead No. 1 North Carolina to an 8-4 win over Duke on Friday night at Jack Coombs Field. The Blue Devils fall to 14-31 overall and 6-16 in the ACC while the Tar Heels improve to 37-8 overall and 16-6 in league play.

North Carolina took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. Right fielder Matt Spencer walked and stole second to start the inning before advancing to third on a single by center fielder Mike Cavasinni. Two batters latter, first baseman Chad Flack laced an RBI-single up the middle to score Spencer and Cavasinni.

Duke cut the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth. First baseman Jonathan Nicolla lined a one-out single through the right side to start the frame. Third baseman Adam Murray would then single to center and advance to second when Nicolla got caught in a run down. With one on and two out, catcher Matt Williams singled down the right field line to score Murray, making it a one-run ballgame.

Steed would give the Tar Heels a 3-1 lead in the top of the fifth on a leadoff homer, launching a 1-1 offering to left for his second jack of the season.

North Carolina would then take a 5-1 lead in the top of the sixth. After left fielder Jay Cox drew a walk, Johnson turned on an 0-1 pitch and lined a two-run shot to left for his eighth home run of the year.

The Blue Devils answered with three runs in the bottom half of the sixth to make it a 5-4 ballgame. Nicolla, Murray and Williams all singled to load the bases to begin the inning. Left fielder Daniel Palmer followed with a two-run single up the middle to score Nicolla and Murray. After right fielder Jimmy Gallagher moved both runners up 90 feet with a sacrifice bunt, shortstop Brett Bartles would plate Williams on a RBI-groundout to second.

The Tar Heels would push their lead to 6-4 with an RBI-single by designated hitter Tim Federowicz in the top of the seventh.

Johnson then connected on the first pitch of the eighth inning, sending a towering solo shot over the left field wall to give North Carolina a 7-4 advantage. Cox would cap the scoring at 8-4 in the top of the ninth with an RBI-single to left.

North Carolina starter Andrew Miller improved to 10-0 on the season, holding the Blue Devils to four runs on 12 hits in 6.0 innings of work. Relievers Jonathan Hovis and Andrew Carignan sealed the victory with a combined 3.0 scoreless innings.

Duke starter Jim Perry fell to 0-4 on the year after allowing five runs on six hits in 6.0 innings pitched.

Nicolla, Murray, Williams and designated hitter Nate Freiman collected two hits apiece to lead the Blue Devils at the plate.

Johnson, Steed, Flack, Federowicz and shortstop Josh Horton posted a pair of hits each to lead the Tar Heels on the night.

Duke and North Carolina will meet for game two tomorrow at 1 p.m. while Sunday's series finale is also set for a 1 p.m. start.

-d-u-k-e-