For the first time all season, the UNC baseball team lost a series.
15th-ranked North Carolina came into its weekend series 17-2, with its only two losses to a ranked East Carolina squad. The Diamond Heels were blowing out opponents, with 22 runs between midweek games against Rutgers.
UNC traveled down to Miami (FL), one of college baseball’s elite programs with four College World Series titles. The Hurricanes are having an uncharacteristically slow start to the season, with an 11-8 record through 19 games.
Pin a hot North Carolina team against a struggling Miami squad – what do you think happens?
The Diamond Heels struggled big-time Friday, lost on a walk-off Saturday, then salvaged Game Three on Sunday.
Game 1: Miami 14, UNC 1
This game was ugly from the opening pitch.
North Carolina freshman pitcher Folger Boaz, who showcased his ace potential heading into this game, was rocked for eight runs on 10 hits and three walks. Boaz gave up three home runs before later exiting in the fourth inning.
The Tar Heels only notched five hits, with their lone RBI coming from an Anthony Donofrio fielder’s choice in the fourth. Their day ended early due to a mercy-rule, which is a 10-run deficit in the seventh-inning or later.
Game 2: Miami 2, UNC 1
Saturday was much different than the series opener, with both programs struggling to push runs across home plate.
North Carolina took the night’s first lead – again in the fourth inning – when Georgia transfer Parks Harber scored on a fielding error.
Despite a rebound in the pitching department, Diamond Heel pitchers gave up two home runs. The second was a walkoff to Dorian Gonzales.
Game 3: UNC 18, Miami 6
If North Carolina had any pent-up frustration on Sunday, it certainly showed on the scoresheet.
Two days after being run-ruled, the Diamond Heels did the same to Miami in a 12-run victory. They hit seven home runs in a game for the first time since March 9, 2013 at Wake Forest, with the big shot being a Gavin Gallagher grand slam.
Gallagher and Roberto Osuna each tallied four hits in Sunday’s finale, with Gallagher also mashing a team-high six RBIs. Relief pitcher Matthew Matthijs rebounded from giving up Saturday’s walk-off, earning his NCAA-leading eighth win in 2/3 innings.
UNC will return to Boshamer Stadium this week, facing UNC-Wilmington for a 6 p.m. first pitch on Tuesday.
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