Tied 3-3 entering the eighth inning Tuesday night, the UNC baseball team exploded for eight runs over the final two frames to defeat the South Carolina Gamecocks 11-3 at BB&T Ballpark in uptown Charlotte.

Brandon Riley and Ashton McGee each drove in a pair of runs in the game for the Tar Heels (19-10)–with McGee hitting his first home run of the season in the top half of the ninth inning to cap off the scoring.

The Gamecocks (17-12) scored a run in each of the first three innings against Tar Heel starter Taylor Sugg, but Joey Lancellotti and Caden O’Brien came out of the bullpen to shut the South Carolina bats down over the final six.

This gave the UNC offense plenty of time to find its rhythm, as the Tar Heels scored at least 10 runs for the 11th time this season.

South Carolina led 3-1 heading into the sixth inning before a bases-loaded walk followed by a wild pitch let UNC tie things up. A sacrifice fly from Zack Gahagan in the eighth inning then gave the Tar Heels the lead for good, putting up four runs in each of the final two frames.

Up Next:

UNC will now head to Coral Gables this weekend for a three-game ACC series against Miami. First pitch on Friday is set for 7 p.m.

 

 

FINAL BOX SCORE

 

 

Photo via Jeffrey A. Camarati (UNC Athletics)

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