This same story is posted on Charlotte49ers.com, but I thought I’d post it here to get some people talking about the game. I hope to see everyone at the game on Wednesday night. Bring a friend, or five would be preferable. Double NNL points for students.
We need a big-time home field advantage, and that means a raucous crowd. When we went to St. Bonaventure this weekend, they had a couple hundred students up on their left-field hill and they were giving it to us all game long. If the Bonnies can have an “atmosphere”, we’d better on Wednesday night.
Thanks for the support.
[SIZE=2]49ers Host No. 1 Tar Heels Wednesday Night, 6:00[/SIZE]
Rematch of March 28th battle in Chapel Hill
April 11, 2006
Charlotte, N.C. - The Charlotte 49ers baseball team (22-10-1) will get a rematch with the No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels (27-7) on Wednesday night at Tom and Lib Phillips Field, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Students can earn double Niner Nation Loyalty points for attending the event.
Niner fans who can’t be in attendance can follow the live stats with GameTracker.
The 49er Club is holding a pre-game cookout just outside the field’s gates, beginning at 5:30 p.m. A combination of dinner and a game ticket is $15, while the dinner only is $10. Reservations are required to Kelly Weatherman at (704) 687-6024 or kaweathe@email.uncc.edu.
PARKING INFORMATION
With large crowds expected Wednesday night for the baseball game and softball’s doubleheader with N.C. State, please note that the first option for parking for both events is in Lot #23, located directly behind the baseball field, up the hill. Second option parking is Lot #14 (near the tennis courts), while third option parking is in the West Deck.
Please do not park illegally along the curbs or in unmarked spots, on the grass, etc. (Consult our Parking Page for more information).
LAST MEETING
These two teams met March 28 in Chapel Hill, with the then-No. 6 Tar Heels coming away with a 3-1 victory. Charlotte led 1-0 after three innings, when Aaron Bray got on via a fielder’s choice, stole second and third, and was driven in on a single by Mike Ambrose.
North Carolina tied the contest in the fifth, when Seth Williams doubled to lead off the inning, moved to third on a single and scored on a wild pitch.
The Tar Heels plated two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning for the win. Chad Flack led off the inning with a single, before Josh Horton was issued a full-count walk. Both runners moved over on a sacrifice, and after an intentional walk to load the bases, two runs scored on a single through the left side by Seth Williams.
Charlotte is 4-2-1 since that game, while North Carolina has gone 6-2.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (27-7, 9-6 ACC)
(Some info. courtesy of TarHeelBlue.com)
After ascending to the top spot in this week’s National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Poll, North Carolina is ranked No. 1 in the country in one of the four major college baseball polls for the first time in program history. The Tar Heels have won back-to-back series against top-15 opponents and currently sit atop the standings in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division.
Carolina is coming off a series win at Miami and also took two of three from then-No. 1 Florida State the previous weekend. The Tar Heels are also ranked No. 2 by Collegiate Baseball this week, third by Baseball America, and fourth in the USA Today coaches poll. The school had reached its previous high ranking of No. 2 on three occasions this season and also twice in 2000.
The Tar Heels hit .326 as a team through 34 games, including 74 doubles and 45 home runs. The team averages 8.06 runs per contest. Leading their charge is Jay Cox, a .412 hitter with nine doubles and a team-leading eight home runs. He is tied for the team lead with 31 RBI. Tim Federowicz (.306, 9 2B, 7 HR) has also driven in 31, while Josh Horton (.398, 9 2B, 8 SB) has 30 RBI.
North Carolina posts a team ERA of 3.76, including five shutouts. The starter last time these two teams faced was Luke Putkonen, who is 4-0 with a 3.82 ERA. Jonathan Hovis (6-2, 1.87) picked up the win in the last meeting, while Andrew Carignan (0.50 ERA, 8 saves) closed out the game.
ABOUT CHARLOTTE (22-10-1, 7-2 Atlantic 10)
The 49ers dropped their first two Atlantic 10 Conference games last weekend at St. Bonaventure, both of them coming by just one run. Five of the team’s 10 losses this year have been by a single run, while none of them has been by more than three scores.
The Niners hit .329 as a team through 33 games, including 72 doubles, 19 triples and 17 home runs. Charlotte averages 8.48 runs per game.
Five players are hitting .360 or better for the 49ers, including Aaron Bray’s team-leading .404 average. The five-time Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week adds 42 runs and 14 stolen bases at the head of the order. Cory Lane is next in hitting at .399, with 39 runs, 26 RBI and 12 extra-base hits. Senior shortstop Mike Ambrose has a .394 average with 11 doubles, four triples, two homers and 33 RBI. Chris Taylor bats .364 with 10 doubles, 31 RBI and 26 runs, and belted his first homer of the season on Sunday.
The last of those aforementioned five hitters, right fielder, Spencer Steedley has been swinging a hot bat for the Niners lately. He leads the team and the Atlantic 10 with nine home runs this season, including six in his last six games. A .380 hitter, Spence adds 12 doubles and team-leading totals in walks (28), on-base percentage (.494), runs scored (43) and RBI (42).
On the mound, the 49ers post a 3.49 ERA with three shutouts and five complete games. Wednesday’s starter has not yet been announced, but Steedley pitched effectively through four innings in Chapel Hill in the last meeting.
Wednesday’s Probable Pitching Matchup
Check back later Tuesday afternoon/night.
