Baseball Blanks Notre Dame In Run-Rule Victory, 13-0

Friday, April 12

Chapel Hill

6 p.m.

North Carolina

27-7, 12-4

Notre Dame

15-16, 2-14

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Notre Dame	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
North Carolina	2	1	2	2	0	6	X	13	11	0

April 12, 2024 | Baseball

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By: UNC Athletics Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Back home for the first time in over two weeks, No. 13 North Carolina pounded out 11 hits, including three home runs, to defeat Notre Dame 13-0 in seven innings at Boshamer Stadium in game one of a three-game ACC weekend series.

UNC (27-7, 12-4) improved to 21-0 at home this season and registered its 25th consecutive victory at Boshamer Stadium. Notre Dame (15-16, 2-14) lost its 10th straight conference road game.

Freshman Jason DeCaro (2-1) pitched six shutout innings, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out three. Kyle Percival pitched a perfect seventh with two strikeouts to close the game.

"[DeCaro] was outstanding," UNC head coach Scott Forbes said. "You don't need to throw 94 or 95 when you can throw fastballs to both sides [of the plate], sliders, curveballs, and change-ups. Every time he's gone out there, he's given us a chance to win.

"He's got that x-factor. He's a competitor. He wants to be a Friday starter, and we believe in him."

Parks Harber drove in four runs, belting a two-run homer in the first and delivering a two-single in the sixth. Casey Cook and Luke Stevenson homered and drove in three runs.

UNC scored a run in the second, and Cook hit a two-run home run in the third to make it 5-0. Anthony Donofrio and Vance Honeycutt drove in a run in the fourth.

The Tar Heels scored six runs in the sixth. Cook drove in his third run of the game with a single to right before Harber brought home two more runs. Stevenson capped the outburst with a three-run homer.

Cook and Stevenson became the third and fourth players on the roster to hit 10 home runs this season, joining Harber and Honeycutt.

"We don't have guys who are all or nothing," Cook said. "Even our home run guys are hitting for a high average.

"We're a good offensive squad that can put up a lot of runs, but it's baseball; once you take your foot off the gas, it can slip away. We have to put our foot on the gas, keep it there, and stick to the approach."

Notre Dame starter Matt Bedford (1-5) pitched 3 2/3 innings and allowed seven runs, seven hits, and one walk.

The series resumes Saturday, April 13, at 2 p.m. Left-handed pitcher Shea Sprague will start for UNC, while Jack Radel will take the ball for the Fighting Irish.