Baseball Powers Past Miami In Run-Rule Win, 18-6

Sunday, March 17

Coral Gables, Fla.

1 p.m.

North Carolina

17-4, 4-2

Miami

11-8, 4-2

North Carolina

Miami

March 17, 2024 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: UNC Athletics Communications

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Casey Cook hit two home runs, Gavin Gallaher belted a grand slam and No. 15 North Carolina went deep seven times for the first time in more than a decade to power past Miami 18-6 in the series finale on Sunday.

Parks Harber and Alex Madera each hit a two-run two homer, and Alberto Osuna and Luke Stevenson each added a solo shot.

The Tar Heels (17-4, 4-2 ACC) hit seven home runs in a game for the first time since March 9, 2013 at when it blasted eight at Wake Forest and scored the most runs in program history against Miami (11-8, 4-2 ACC).

Gallaher went 4-for-6 with six RBIs, Osuna went 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles, and Cook was 3-for-6 with three RBIs.

UNC, who didn't have an extra base hit in the first 19 innings of the series, finished with 17 total hits, including 11 for extra bases.

Jake Kulikowski hit the lone home run for Miami.

UNC starter Shea Sprague struck out the first six Miami batters he faced before exiting after 3 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts, allowing four runs on three hits. Matthew Matthijs (8-1) picked up the win in 2/3 innings pitched.

Hurricanes' starter Herick Hernandez (2-2) gave up five runs on seven hits, including a pair of homers in 3 1/3 innings.

The Tar Heels sent nine men to the plate in the five-run fifth and 12 in the sixth-run sixth.

After four consecutive walks in the fifth, Gallaher hit a grand slam to left field to give Carolina a 10-5 lead.

Osuna led off the sixth with a 441-foot blast to center field and Cook belted a two-run homer. Gallaher and Colby Wilkerson each scored a drove in a run during the frame for a16-4 lead.

UNC added two runs in the seventh on solo home runs from Stevenson and Cook.

Madera hit a two-run homer in the second and Harber launched a two-run blast in the third to give the Tar Heels a 4-0 lead.

Kulikowski got Miami's first hit off Sprague in the third inning following a fielding error, hitting a two-run homer. He drove home the first of two Hurricane runs in the fourth lifting a sacrifice fly and JD Urso drove home the second run of the frame to make it a one-run game.

Miami added two more runs in the sixth.

The Tar Heels return to action Tuesday, March 19, at Boshamer Stadium against UNCW. The game is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Carter French (18) after his three-run triple.

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W, 11-0

Mar 19 (Tue)

6 p.m.

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Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Matthijs, Matthew (8-1)

L: Herick Hernandez (2-2)

North Carolina

Batting:

2B: Gallaher, Gavin 1 ; Osuna, Alberto 2 ; Wilkerson, Colby 1

HR: Gallaher, Gavin 1 ; Cook, Casey 2 ; Harber, Parks 1 ; Osuna, Alberto 1 ; Madera, Alex 1 ; Stevenson, Luke 1

RBI: Gallaher, Gavin 6 ; Cook, Casey 3 ; Harber, Parks 2 ; Osuna, Alberto 1 ; Madera, Alex 2 ; Stevenson, Luke 1 ; Wilkerson, Colby 2

Base Running:

RUNS: Gallaher, Gavin 2 ; Cook, Casey 2 ; Honeycutt, Vance 1 ; Harber, Parks 1 ; Osuna, Alberto 3 ; Madera, Alex 1 ; Van De Brake, Jackson 2 ; Stevenson, Luke 3 ; Wilkerson, Colby 3