WRAL Sports Fan

North Carolina

Heels clinch trip to Omaha with 9-3 win over ECU

By Ryan Craig

Jun 7, 2009

Once again, Carolina is headed to Omaha.

With the Heels’ 9-3 win over East Carolina Sunday afternoon, the Tar Heels swept their super regional series and clinched a berth in the College World Series for an ACC-record fourth straight year.

One day after Alex White carried the Heels to a win with 8.1 innings of one-run ball, Adam Warren was almost as good. The New Bern native tossed 7.1 innings, gave up three runs (when Brian Moran allowed three inherited runners to score when the game was all but decided), and struck out eight.

The sixth, seventh, and eighth spots in the Carolina lineup did most of the damage in Game 2, combining to go 8-13 with two RBIs and five runs scored, including Garrett Gore’s solo shot to center in the ninth.

Gore finished the afternoon 4-5, with an RBI and four runs.

Dustin Ackley delivered the knockout blow in the sixth with an opposite field, three-run shot to left that blew the game open.

Trent Whitehead and Drew Schieber each finished the game with two hits for the Pirates.

North Carolina will next play the winner of the Clemson vs. Arizona St. super regional. The winners of the Texas vs. TCU and Southern Miss. vs. Florida super regionals will also be grouped with the Heels.