Diamond Heels Beat Duke To Secure Top ACC Record

Friday, May 17

Durham, N.C.

2 p.m.

North Carolina

40-12, 21-8

Duke

35-15, 16-13

North Carolina

Duke

Photo by: AINSLEY E. FAUTH

May 17, 2024 | Baseball

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By: UNC Athletics Communications

DURHAM, N.C. – Parks Harber lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, and Anthony Donofrio had an RBI double in the ninth to lead No. 7 North Carolina to a 6-4 win over No. 11 Duke at Jack Coombs Field on Friday, clinching the ACC's best record and the top seed at next week's tournament in Charlotte.

It's the first time that the Tar Heels' have finished alone with the conference's best record since 2013.

"It's hard to win divisions, it's hard to win the outright regular season, but we've got a series to finish," UNC head coach Scott Forbes said. "We talked about not being content before we came over."

UNC (40-12, 21-8 ACC) had 11 hits, with a foursome of players collecting a pair of hits. Harber and Casey Cook each had two hits and two RBIs. Donofrio doubled twice, and Gavin Gallaher had a pair of singles.

Vance Honeycutt singled to start the ninth inning and moved to third on Cook's sacrifice bunt, fielded and thrown into centerfield by Duke pitcher Charlie Beilenson (6-3).

Beilenson tossed 1/3 of an inning and allowed two runs on two hits after throwing 50 pitches in three innings Thursday night.

Honeycutt scored on Harber's flyout, and Cook took third. Donofrio hit a bouncer through the drawn-in infield to plate Cook and hustled into second with a one-out double.

"You're just chasing those opportunities," Cook said. "You're chasing RBIs, guys on second, guys on third. Those should be your most fun at-bats because you have the chance to put the team on top."

After yielding a single to Devin Obee to start the ninth, Dalton Pence (3-1) got Wallace Clark to fly out and struck out Kyle Johnson and Zac Morris to end the game.

"I know my stuff works best when I go right after a hitter and not try to nibble around people," Pence said. "It felt great to get that final out."

Logan Bravo hit a two-out, solo home run for Duke (35-15, 16-13) to tie the game in the sixth after the Tar Heels retook the lead with three runs in the fifth.

Cook had a two-out, two-run double, and Harber singled to center field to score Cook.

Morris hit a three-run homer in the third to give the Blue Devils a 3-1 lead after Clark drew a lead-off walk and Johnson was hit by a pitch.

The Tar Heels scored first with a run in the second. Donofrio doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on Alberto Osuna's fly out to the warning track. Alex Madera pushed him across with ground out to second base.

The teams will conclude their series Saturday at noon. Right-handed pitcher Aidan Haugh (4-1, 3.95 ERA) will get the start for Carolina, while left-handed pitcher Andrew Healy (2-1, 4.85 ERA) will start for the Blue Devils.

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