University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
4-0
Gardner-Webb
2-3
No. 9 Carolina Thumps Gardner-Webb, 11-1
February 22, 2017 | Baseball
Aker (1-0) scuffled in the top of the first, issuing back-to-back walks and a two-out single before working out of the jam. From there, however, he was stellar. The sophomore right-hander allowed just two hits over the next five innings and left with a comfortable 7-1 lead.
Datres' two-run home run capped a big first for the Tar Heels against GWU starter Landon Mitchell (0-1). Michael Busch, Brandon Riley and Gahagan each drove in runs in the frame, and Carolina was rarely threatened the rest of the way.
Brian Miller and Logan Warmoth had RBIs in the fourth before Gahagan's first round-tripper made it 8-1 in the seventh. Ashton McGee doubled for his first career hit in the eighth and scored on an Ike Freeman sac fly two batters later.
Austin Bergner, Trevor Gay and Brett Daniels worked the final three innings to close it out.
Corey Howard had two hits and Mason Fox hit a long solo home run to lead Gardner-Webb (2-3).
Carolina continues its 17-game homestand Friday with the first of three against Radford. First pitch Friday is at 3 p.m. and tickets are available at GoHeels.com/tickets.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Aker, Cole (1-0)
L: MITCHELL, Landon (0-1)
Batting:
HR: FOX, Mason 1
RBI: FOX, Mason 1
Base Running:
RUNS: FOX, Mason 1
HBP: THACKER, Collin 1 ; KAESMEYER, Luke 1
PO: DUGAN, Mickey 1
Batting:
2B: Gahagan, Zack 1 ; McGee, Ashton 1
3B: Warmoth, Logan 1
HR: Gahagan, Zack 1 ; Datres, Kyle 1
RBI: Miller, Brian 1 ; Warmoth, Logan 2 ; Busch, Michael 1 ; Gahagan, Zack 2 ; Riley, Brandon 1 ; Datres, Kyle 2 ; Freeman, Ike 1
SF: Warmoth, Logan 1 ; Freeman, Ike 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Miller, Brian 2 ; Warmoth, Logan 2 ; Busch, Michael 1 ; Gahagan, Zack 2 ; Datres, Kyle 1 ; McGee, Ashton 1 ; Martorano, Brandon 1 ; Pate, Adam 1
SB: Miller, Brian 1
CS: Miller, Brian 1
HBP: Gahagan, Zack 1
PO: Pate, Adam 1
