University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Davidson
No. 7 Carolina Tops Davidson, 10-2
March 30, 2016 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL --- No. 7 North Carolina sent 12 men to the plate in a six-run fifth and secured its 20th win of the season with a 10-2 victory over Davidson Tuesday night at Boshamer Stadium. Brandon Riley matched a career high with four hits and reached base six times, and Brett Daniels extended his scoreless streak to 15.1 innings to pick up his second win of the season.
Davidson (14-11) opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the first courtesy of Brian Fortier's two-RBI single off UNC starter Hunter Williams. But the Wildcats mustered just two hits over the final 6.1 innings against Daniels (2-0), Cole Aker, Zach Rice and Taylor Sugg, and the Tar Heels were able to break through in the decisive fifth.
Eight consecutive Tar Heels reached in the fifth, and all the UNC runs in the inning came with two outs. Tyler Lynn's RBI double got the scoring started before Cody Roberts gave Carolina (20-4) the lead with a two-run single to right. After a Kyle Datres walk, Zack Gahagan singled home Roberts, then three more walks forced in two more runs. All told, Davidson pitchers issued 15 walks to Carolina batters on the night, a season high for the Tar Heels.
Riley capped his big night with a two-run single in the eighth that pushed UNC to 10 runs for the 12th time this season. Datres reached base five times with two hits, three walks and three runs scored, with Sutherland added a pair of runs and a stolen base.
Daniels struck out three over 2.2 innings before Aker took over to start the sixth. The freshman righty fanned five of the six batters he faced in lowering his ERA to 2.65.
Next up for Carolina is a three-game series at ACC Coastal-leading Miami. The series starts Friday at 7 p.m. and all three games will be broadcast on ESPN3.
