Heels Run Away From South Carolina For 9-1 Win

Tuesday, March 24

Charlotte, N.C.

6:30 PM

North Carolina

21-4-1

South Carolina

13-13

South Carolina

North Carolina

Photo by: AINSLEY E. FAUTH

March 25, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score

By: William Soulé

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Opportunistic offense paired with the program's signature shutdown pitching staff powered Carolina baseball to a 9-1 win over South Carolina on Tuesday night at Truist Field.

The No. 13 Tar Heels (21-4-1) found themselves in a pitcher's duel until a six-run seventh inning blew the game wide open. The 12 strikeouts from UNC arms made it eight different double-digit punchout contests this season.

Starter Boston Flannery gave the Heels a solid 3.1 innings to get the ball rolling. He racked up five strikeouts, tying his career high, while surrendering one hit on three runs and three walks.

Bullpen ace Walker McDuffie followed Flannery and was somehow even more impressive. In his 2.2 IP, McDuffie gave up just one hit with zeroes in the run and walks column. At one point he struck out five in a row and finished with seven total in the nine batters faced. He also tied his career high in punchouts.

South Carolina took an initial lead with an RBI single in the first, Flannery's only run, but their joy would not last long. In the Heels' half of the opening inning Gavin Gallaher smoked a 367-foot line drive to the concourse in left to give his team a 2-1 advantage. It was the fifth of the season for Carolina's captain, who has homered in both neutral site games this year.

The offenses were kept relatively quiet for the next five innings before UNC added exploded with six in the bottom of the seventh. Two wild pitches, a double, two singles, and a sac fly gave the Heels a killshot the Gamecocks couldn't recover from.

Junior centerfielder Owen Hull was responsible for one of the RBI singles, bringing home Gallaher with a textbook safety squeeze. The speedster, who happen to be one of the hottest hitters in the country, was wreaking havoc on the base paths all day with three hits and two runs both scored via wild pitch.

Cooper Nicholson, ever patient at the plate, reached safely in all four plate appearances. The ACC leader in HBPs added another against the Gamecocks with a single and two walks to boot.

The Tar Heels continue on their week away from home with a road trip to South Bend, Ind., to face off with the newly ranked No. 23 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. First pitch of the series opener is set for Friday, Mar. 27 at 4:30 p.m. ET.