North Carolina
Virginia
No. 13 Tar Heels Drop Opener, 7-4
April 16, 2016 | Baseball
Carolina (24-10, 8-8 ACC) scored twice in the second on a Cody Roberts sacrifice fly and an error. But the Cavaliers halved the lead in the bottom half before a four-run third proved to be the difference.
UVA (22-14, 8-8 ACC) tied the game against Zac Gallen (4-3) on Matt Thaiss' one-out single before a walk to Pavin Smith loaded the bases. After a lineout to short, Eikhoff drove a 1-2 pitch into the gap in right center to plate three and give the Wahoos the lead for good.
Jones (7-1), who shared ACC Pitcher of the Week honors with Gallen last week, pitched into the seventh before being chased by a Tyler Lynn triple and a Roberts RBI single. But Doherty came in to retire the top of UNC order on just nine pitches to squelch the rally and keep UVA up by two. The Cavaliers would add a pair of insurance runs in the eighth on groundouts by Justin Novak and Adam Haseley.
Gallen went six innings but allowed five runs, walking a career-high four batters and striking out a season-low three.
Lynn had three hits, including his second home run of the year, and Eli Sutherland had two for the Tar Heels. Thaiss and Novak had two hits apiece to lead the Wahoos.
Game two of the three-game series is set for Saturday at 4 p.m. with Virginia-native J.B. Bukauskas on the hill for Carolina.
