Heels Handle Elon, 5-1, In Final Tune Up Before ACC Play

Tuesday, March 3

Chapel Hill

3 PM

North Carolina

12-1-1

Elon

6-6

Elon

North Carolina

Photo by: AINSLEY E. FAUTH

March 3, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: William Soulé

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Carolina baseball kept along their winning ways with a 5-1 victory over the visitors Elon on Tuesday afternoon in Boshamer Stadium.

The No. 8 Tar Heels (12-1-1) added another notch in the win column in their final game before conference play begins this upcoming weekend. Although they were unable to keep their previous four-game streak of run-rules alive, Carolina looked in control from start to finish in defeating the Phoenix.

Sophomore standout Walker McDuffie was effective and efficient in his 3.0 innings of work en route to his second win of the season, recording three punchouts, just one hit, and no runs allowed. He was one of five Tar Heel arms to get work in this one, combining to strikeouts 11 while giving up just five hits and one run. The lone Elon run came from the second to last batter of the game.

The Heels played small ball to get on the board early. Jadyn Nunez, fresh off his grand slam on Sunday for his first career hit, made his first start and scored the game's first run. He singled and was brought home by a walk, sac bunt, and ground out RBI behind him.

In the fifth, Cooper Nicholson led off with a before an Owen Hull sac fly eventually sent him home. Nicholson was the best UNC hitter at the plate against the Phoenix, going 2-3 with two RBIs in addition to his run scored.

His bases-loaded single scored a pair in the eighth to add enough insurance to let Matthew Matthijs see the win comfortably home.

The Tar Heels kick off their ACC slate at home, facing off with Virginia for the first time in a weekend series in Chapel Hill since 2023. The opener on Friday is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. ET with coverage coming on ACCNX.