Baseball's Six-Game Winning Streak Ends At Duke

Thursday, May 16

Durham, N.C.

7 p.m.

North Carolina

39-12, 20-8

Duke

35-16, 16-12

North Carolina

Duke

Photo by: AINSLEY E. FAUTH

May 16, 2024 | Baseball

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By: UNC Athletics Communications

DURHAM, N.C. – Alex Stone broke a seventh-inning tie with an RBI double, and No. 11 Duke snapped seventh-ranked North Carolina's six-game winning streak 5-3 on Thursday night.

Kyle Johnson pitched six strong innings, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning. He allowed three runs, three hits, and one walk while striking out eight.

Charlie Beilenson (6-2) pitched three scoreless innings, struck out six and surrendered one hit.

"When you walk one and punch out 14, you usually win that game," UNC head coach Scott Forbes said. "You have to give Duke credit. They played really well.

"[Johnson] was as good as anyone we've faced all year. Throwing the breaking ball to lefties, throwing the change up to righties, working at a really good pace."

Luke Stevenson and Parks Harber homered for North Carolina (39-12, 20-8). Starter Jason DeCaro allowed three runs – two earned – and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked two.

In the seventh, AJ Gracia and Stone hit consecutive one-out doubles off Matthew Matthijs (11-4) to retake the lead. Matthijs retired the next two hitters, and Stone was stranded at second.

Duke (35-16, 16-12) added another in the eighth as Johnson scored on a two-out fielding error after he and Zac Morris drew back-to-back walks.

"In games like this, you have to make plays, especially when they are pitching it like that," Forbes said. "You have to grab every out that you can. We made some really good plays; they just made a few more than we did."

Duke opened the scoring in the first when Logan Bravo singled with two outs to score Ben Miller, who was hit by a pitch with one out. The Blue Devils added a second run in the second on a fielding error.

Stevenson hit his 13th home run leading off the sixth to break up the no-hitter.

Bravo homered in the bottom half to put the Blue Devils back ahead 3-1.

Carolina scored two runs in the seventh to tie the game. Harber led off with his 19th homer, followed by Anthony Donofrio and Alex Madera singles. Gavin Gallaher's sacrifice fly tied the game.

"Beilenson has been their best guy all season," Forbes said. "Not many teams have been able to come out and tie the game up against him. Gavin stepped in and got a big sac fly; we just couldn't manufacture anything else against him."

The teams will continue their series Friday at 2 p.m. Left-handed pitcher Shea Sprague (3-1, 3.81 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Tar Heels, while right-hander Ryan Higgins (2-1, 5.40 ERA) gets the start for Duke.

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