Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI
Lucas: Arizona Rapid Reactions (G2)
June 7, 2025 | Baseball, Featured Writers, Adam Lucas
Quick takeaways from the second game of the super regional.
By Adam Lucas
1. It will be winner take all on Sunday, as Arizona held on for a 10-8 win in game two of the super regional. Overall, it felt very similar to the second game against Oklahoma--just not a typical Carolina game in any phase of the game.
2. The story of the game was the Arizona offense. The Wildcats pounded out 16 hits on the way to the win, and until Folger Boaz retired them in order in the eighth, they had a hit in every inning. Every Wildcat hitter in the starting lineup had at least one hit. It was that kind of offensive day.
3. And the Tar Heels will rue some missed opportunities. The Heels left the bases loaded in the first, had a baserunning gaffe in the second, and left two in scoring position in the third. A big hit in any of those situations might have changed the tenor of the game. Instead, Arizona stayed in it long enough to get the bats warm, and it also felt like the Heels might have missed a chance to crack it open in the seventh. Carolina left the bases loaded when the Wildcats were reeling.
4. What a great example of how baseball can drive you crazy...or make you love it. Scott Forbes had to make multiple big pitching decisions. The first was how long to stick with Jason DeCaro. The Tar Heel starter ran out of gas with two outs in the fourth, having allowed seven hits and a walk and dealing with constant traffic. The Heels then turned to Aidan Haugh, eliminating him from the game three starter possibilities.Â
5. Haugh gave the Heels two and a third innings of relief, but he also--like everyone else on the staff--had trouble with the Arizona offense. Haugh recorded six of his seven outs by strikeout, but also gave up six hits and a walk.Â
5. You got the feeling the Heels were managing the game to get it to Walker McDuffie, which made complete sense because he has been outstanding this year. The freshman entered the game in the seventh but ran into immediate issues, He lasted just two-thirds of an inning, throwing 38 pitches as Arizona collected three walks and two hits. The 'Cats unexpectedly got four runs off the rookie--sometimes the game just happens that way. Those 38 pitches could potentially mean McDuffie would still be available tomorrow, although he has very rarely been used on back to back days this year (but more frequently recently, as he appeared on consecutive days twice in May).Â
6. The pitching staff as a whole simply couldn't lock down the Wildcats. Carolina scored in the second, fourth and seventh. But they never sustained any momentum, as Arizona answered in the bottom of the inning every time.Â
7. The resurgence of Sam Angelo is a big story for the UNC offense. Angelo has been working with assistant coach Jesse Wierzbicki to make some swing tweaks; it's paid off with postseason success, including a two-run home run in the second on Saturday. Given the hot Arizona offense, the Heels will need contributions from every possible hitter on Sunday.
8. Angelo is part of a bottom third of the UNC order that had some big swings on Saturday. Carter French had a four-hit day, including leading off the ninth with a single. Tyson Bass hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the seventh. The 7-8-9 part of the order had seven hits and drove in five runs.
9. The Tar Heels caught the wrong end of some high strike calls over the final two innings. Both Angelo and Kane Kepley were victims of calls that, at best, could have gone either way.Â
10. The two teams will do it again on Sunday at a game time to be determined (stay tuned to Carolina baseball social media channels). Just like last weekend, and as Scott Forbes has consistently said, the goal is to win the series. This weekend is no different. The assumption will be that Ryan Lynch will get the start tomorrow.
1. It will be winner take all on Sunday, as Arizona held on for a 10-8 win in game two of the super regional. Overall, it felt very similar to the second game against Oklahoma--just not a typical Carolina game in any phase of the game.
2. The story of the game was the Arizona offense. The Wildcats pounded out 16 hits on the way to the win, and until Folger Boaz retired them in order in the eighth, they had a hit in every inning. Every Wildcat hitter in the starting lineup had at least one hit. It was that kind of offensive day.
3. And the Tar Heels will rue some missed opportunities. The Heels left the bases loaded in the first, had a baserunning gaffe in the second, and left two in scoring position in the third. A big hit in any of those situations might have changed the tenor of the game. Instead, Arizona stayed in it long enough to get the bats warm, and it also felt like the Heels might have missed a chance to crack it open in the seventh. Carolina left the bases loaded when the Wildcats were reeling.
4. What a great example of how baseball can drive you crazy...or make you love it. Scott Forbes had to make multiple big pitching decisions. The first was how long to stick with Jason DeCaro. The Tar Heel starter ran out of gas with two outs in the fourth, having allowed seven hits and a walk and dealing with constant traffic. The Heels then turned to Aidan Haugh, eliminating him from the game three starter possibilities.Â
5. Haugh gave the Heels two and a third innings of relief, but he also--like everyone else on the staff--had trouble with the Arizona offense. Haugh recorded six of his seven outs by strikeout, but also gave up six hits and a walk.Â
5. You got the feeling the Heels were managing the game to get it to Walker McDuffie, which made complete sense because he has been outstanding this year. The freshman entered the game in the seventh but ran into immediate issues, He lasted just two-thirds of an inning, throwing 38 pitches as Arizona collected three walks and two hits. The 'Cats unexpectedly got four runs off the rookie--sometimes the game just happens that way. Those 38 pitches could potentially mean McDuffie would still be available tomorrow, although he has very rarely been used on back to back days this year (but more frequently recently, as he appeared on consecutive days twice in May).Â
6. The pitching staff as a whole simply couldn't lock down the Wildcats. Carolina scored in the second, fourth and seventh. But they never sustained any momentum, as Arizona answered in the bottom of the inning every time.Â
7. The resurgence of Sam Angelo is a big story for the UNC offense. Angelo has been working with assistant coach Jesse Wierzbicki to make some swing tweaks; it's paid off with postseason success, including a two-run home run in the second on Saturday. Given the hot Arizona offense, the Heels will need contributions from every possible hitter on Sunday.
8. Angelo is part of a bottom third of the UNC order that had some big swings on Saturday. Carter French had a four-hit day, including leading off the ninth with a single. Tyson Bass hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the seventh. The 7-8-9 part of the order had seven hits and drove in five runs.
9. The Tar Heels caught the wrong end of some high strike calls over the final two innings. Both Angelo and Kane Kepley were victims of calls that, at best, could have gone either way.Â
10. The two teams will do it again on Sunday at a game time to be determined (stay tuned to Carolina baseball social media channels). Just like last weekend, and as Scott Forbes has consistently said, the goal is to win the series. This weekend is no different. The assumption will be that Ryan Lynch will get the start tomorrow.
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