The top-ranked Miami Hurricanes got their first hit in the fifth inning, surrendered two unearned runs when a routine grounder went under their best fielder's glove and gave up 16 hits.
A strange night, indeed.
But for second-ranked North Carolina, Friday's 10-6 victory proved a salve of sorts. After being overwhelmed by the Hurricanes on Thursday, the Tar Heels responded with some damage of their own.
''We had a chip on our shoulders, especially after last night,'' said UNC center fielder Seth Williams, who doubled twice and drove in three runs. ``We were embarrassed. You can't do that against the No. 1 team in the nation. We played more like the No. 2 team tonight.''
The 10 runs were the most allowed by Miami this season at Mark Light Field, where a sold-out, standing-room only crowd of 3,250 waited in vain for a last-gasp rally. The Hurricanes ended the game with bases loaded when Mark Sobolewski, who hit a grand slam earlier, tapped a weak ground ball to the first baseman.
''I swung at a bad pitch and it was a check swing,'' Sobolewski said. ``But we didn't lose this game in the last inning. We just didn't play well.''
Left-handed Miami sophomore Eric Erickson came into the game with a 7-0 record and 3.31 ERA, but had his worst outing since giving up six earned runs to Louisville during last year's season-ending regional loss.
Erickson (7-1, 3.79) lasted five innings, allowing seven runs -- five earned -- on 10 hits, a wild pitch and a hit batter. He struck out two with no walks.
''Frustrating night,'' Erickson said. ``Kind of reminds me of Louisville. Hopefully this is as bad as it gets.''
While Erickson was struggling, Tar Heels starter Adam Warren was thriving. The right-handed junior raised his record to 8-1 by holding UM to four runs on four hits, including Sobolewski's grand slam in the sixth.
Sobolewski's shot over the left-field wall came after singles by Blake Tekotte and Jemile Weeks and a walk by Yonder Alonso.
Alonso hit his league-leading 18th home run of the season in the eighth to make it 10-5, but in the end it wasn't enough.
Miami (43-7, 23-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) will end the the regular season against UNC at 1 p.m. Saturday with the highest ACC winning percentage, though the league does not award a regular-season conference championship.
''They outplayed us offensively and defensively and outpitched us,'' said UM coach Jim Morris. ``They have an outstanding club. If you don't play your best you're not going to win.''
North Carolina, led by Williams, raised its records to 44-10 and 21-7.
Said Morris of Saturday's finale: ``We need to come back, no question.''
UM's normally stellar defense proved vulnerable Friday, allowing two unearned runs when a routine grounder went under shortstop Ryan Jackson's glove with two outs in the second inning.
Tim Federowicz started the rally with a single to left, Garrett Gore singled to right and Williams doubled into the left field corner to drive home Federowicz. Greg Holts' grounder-turned-error drove in Gore and Williams to make it 3-0 UNC.
The Heels scored another three runs in the fourth on a single by Kyle Seager, a blooper to shallow center by Federowicz, a sacrifice bunt by Gore and a double in the left field corner by Williams -- at the same spot in which he doubled the previous inning. Then, two batters later, Dustin Ackley hit yet another UNC double in the same left corner to score Williams and make it 6-0.
Catcher Tim Federowicz hit a three-run homer to left field in the sixth to make it 9-0 and effectively shut down the Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes broke a no-hitter in the fifth, when Dennis Raben led off with a single to left.
