University of North Carolina Athletics
Saturday, April 18
Chapel Hill
12 PM
North Carolina
33-6-1, 15-5
vs
Georgia Tech
31-7, 15-5
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Tech | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| North Carolina | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 10 | 0 |
Offensive Explosion Propels Diamond Heels To 14-4, Run-Rule Win Over No. 2 Georgia Tech
April 18, 2026 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Three home runs and consistent pitching powered Carolina baseball to a 14-4 eighth inning run-rule victory over No. 2 Georgia Tech on Saturday afternoon in Boshamer Stadium.
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The No. 3 Tar Heels (33-6-1, 15-5 ACC) are now officially off to the second-best start in program history after securing what had been talked about as the "series of the season" nationally against the Yellow Jackets. Only the 2013 Carolina squad that was 38-2 at this point had a better record through 40 games.
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It was an all-around elite performance from North Carolina, who show time and time again that they can bring their best stuff on the biggest stages. It is the first time the team has hit three home runs in back-to-back games this season, last doing so in the NCAA postseason last year to win the regional and start the super off with a win.
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One of the biggest keys for Carolina in this series victory has been jumping on the Jackets early, scoring three runs in the first in both games and putting up 12 unanswered runs before GT could get their first across both contests. UNC is 21-0 when scoring in the opening frame and 28-0 when scoring the games' first killshot (an inning where one team scores two or more runs and the opponent scores zero, s/o PEARatings).
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The Heels' half of the first once again started with Jake Schaffner and Gavin Gallaher reaching safely, opening the door for Owen Hull to drive in the first run of the game for the second straight day. Gallaher and Hull would both come around themselves to hang a crooked number for UNC right away.
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The real knockout punch came in the second though, as Hull came back to the plate with the bases loaded and two out. The junior George Mason transfer sent the first pitch he saw in the at-bat 417 feet the other way for North Carolina's second grand slam of the season.
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It was only the third home run of the year for Hull and the first grand slam of his collegiate career, but the Heels' centerfielder has been a man on fire down the stretch. He is currently hitting .452 in conference play with three homers, 10 extra base hits, and 33 RBIs. His sac-fly in the fourth put the next Tar Heel across in the fourth, making him responsible for driving in six of the first eight runs scored in this game.
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Later in that same fourth inning, Macon Winslow hit his second home run in as many days to put Carolina into double digits. This time it was a two-run shot to straight away center. UNC is now 15-0 when scoring 10+ this season.
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The captain Gallaher was the man on when Winslow left the yard with that play representing one of the four times the junior second baseman scored on Saturday. A solo shot from Cooper Nicholson made it 11-4 in the bottom of the seventh before a two-RBI double from Tyler Howe and a walk-off walk delivered by Carter French in the bottom of the eighth gave UNC its 10th run-rule victory of the season.
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While the offense starred, the Carolina pitching staff continued their quiet efficient work on the mound. The Saturday starter Ryan Lynch picked up the win with a final line of 4.2 innings pitched, two strikeouts, seven hits, and three runs allowed.
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Walker McDuffie emerged from the pen for the second time in this series, today throwing 3.0 IP with just the one hit and one run given up while punching out three. The duo, along with Matthew Matthijs who recorded an out against the only batter he faced, held the nation's highest scoring offense to just four runs. It is the first time this season the Yellow Jackets have been held under five two games in a row.
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Saturday's victory gave Carolina its highest ranked home series win since they swept No. 1 Virginia back in 2011. UNC has also now won the last three weekend showdowns against GT, improving head coach Scott Forbes' record against the Yellow Jackets to 10-5 including each of the last six.
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The Tar Heels will be back in the Bosh on Sunday afternoon hunting for a sweep. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET with coverage coming once again on the ACC Network.
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The No. 3 Tar Heels (33-6-1, 15-5 ACC) are now officially off to the second-best start in program history after securing what had been talked about as the "series of the season" nationally against the Yellow Jackets. Only the 2013 Carolina squad that was 38-2 at this point had a better record through 40 games.
Â
It was an all-around elite performance from North Carolina, who show time and time again that they can bring their best stuff on the biggest stages. It is the first time the team has hit three home runs in back-to-back games this season, last doing so in the NCAA postseason last year to win the regional and start the super off with a win.
Â
One of the biggest keys for Carolina in this series victory has been jumping on the Jackets early, scoring three runs in the first in both games and putting up 12 unanswered runs before GT could get their first across both contests. UNC is 21-0 when scoring in the opening frame and 28-0 when scoring the games' first killshot (an inning where one team scores two or more runs and the opponent scores zero, s/o PEARatings).
Â
The Heels' half of the first once again started with Jake Schaffner and Gavin Gallaher reaching safely, opening the door for Owen Hull to drive in the first run of the game for the second straight day. Gallaher and Hull would both come around themselves to hang a crooked number for UNC right away.
Â
The real knockout punch came in the second though, as Hull came back to the plate with the bases loaded and two out. The junior George Mason transfer sent the first pitch he saw in the at-bat 417 feet the other way for North Carolina's second grand slam of the season.
Â
It was only the third home run of the year for Hull and the first grand slam of his collegiate career, but the Heels' centerfielder has been a man on fire down the stretch. He is currently hitting .452 in conference play with three homers, 10 extra base hits, and 33 RBIs. His sac-fly in the fourth put the next Tar Heel across in the fourth, making him responsible for driving in six of the first eight runs scored in this game.
Â
Later in that same fourth inning, Macon Winslow hit his second home run in as many days to put Carolina into double digits. This time it was a two-run shot to straight away center. UNC is now 15-0 when scoring 10+ this season.
Â
The captain Gallaher was the man on when Winslow left the yard with that play representing one of the four times the junior second baseman scored on Saturday. A solo shot from Cooper Nicholson made it 11-4 in the bottom of the seventh before a two-RBI double from Tyler Howe and a walk-off walk delivered by Carter French in the bottom of the eighth gave UNC its 10th run-rule victory of the season.
Â
While the offense starred, the Carolina pitching staff continued their quiet efficient work on the mound. The Saturday starter Ryan Lynch picked up the win with a final line of 4.2 innings pitched, two strikeouts, seven hits, and three runs allowed.
Â
Walker McDuffie emerged from the pen for the second time in this series, today throwing 3.0 IP with just the one hit and one run given up while punching out three. The duo, along with Matthew Matthijs who recorded an out against the only batter he faced, held the nation's highest scoring offense to just four runs. It is the first time this season the Yellow Jackets have been held under five two games in a row.
Â
Saturday's victory gave Carolina its highest ranked home series win since they swept No. 1 Virginia back in 2011. UNC has also now won the last three weekend showdowns against GT, improving head coach Scott Forbes' record against the Yellow Jackets to 10-5 including each of the last six.
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The Tar Heels will be back in the Bosh on Sunday afternoon hunting for a sweep. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET with coverage coming once again on the ACC Network.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lynch, Ryan (3-3)
L: Buursema, Porter (0-2)
Batting:
HR: Schmidt, Kent 1
RBI: Schmidt, Kent 1 ; Lackey, Vahn 1 ; Advincula, Jarren 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kerce, Carson 1 ; Daniel, Caleb 1 ; Schmidt, Kent 2
HBP: Daniel, Caleb 1
Batting:
2B: Nicholson, Cooper 1 ; Howe, Tyler 1
HR: Nicholson, Cooper 1 ; Winslow, Macon 1 ; Hull, Owen 1
RBI: Nicholson, Cooper 1 ; Winslow, Macon 2 ; Hull, Owen 6 ; Howe, Tyler 2 ; French, Carter 1 ; Paulsen, Erik 1
SF: Hull, Owen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nicholson, Cooper 1 ; Schaffner, Jake 2 ; Sowers, Lee 1 ; Gallaher, Gavin 4 ; Winslow, Macon 2 ; Hull, Owen 2 ; Howe, Tyler 1 ; French, Carter 1
SB: Gallaher, Gavin 1 ; Hull, Owen 1 ; French, Carter 1
HBP: French, Carter 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
4
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
OF
/ BaseballINF
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OF/1B
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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RHP
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INF
/ BaseballC
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