Trailing 4-0 against Georgia Tech entering the sixth inning on Sunday, the No. 11 UNC baseball team took advantage of some untimely mistakes and rattled off seven consecutive runs on the way to a 7-4 victory in Atlanta.

The win also clinched the series for the Tar Heels (15-5, 4-2 ACC) who have now won each of their first two series against conference competition in 2017.

Freshman designated hitter Ashton McGee (.351 batting average) stayed hot for UNC, going 2-for-4 at the plate–including a two-run homer that kicked off the rally in the top of the sixth.

After an RBI groundout–in the same inning–from catcher Cody Roberts, the Tar Heels pulled within one run against the Yellow Jacket bullpen with still a third of the game left to play.

Georgia Tech (12-6, 2-4 ACC) saw its wheels truly fall off, however, over the final two frames.

In both the eighth and ninth innings, the Tar Heels took control with a pair of runs in each.

Reliever Zac Ryan could only watch as UNC scored its initial run in each inning because of an error, before then following up with a sacrifice fly on both occasions.

The blunders not only allowed the Tar Heels to move ahead on the scoreboard, but also gave freshman closer Josh Hiatt an opportunity for his seventh save of the season.

Hiatt did not disappoint, either, as he struck out all three Yellow Jackets that stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth.

This also earned the first victory of the season for junior righty Brett Daniels, who struck out a career-high nine hitters during his 4.1 innings of relief after starter Jason Morgan struggled to find success early on.

Up Next:

The Tar Heels will face a stiff mid-week challenge this week when they head to Greenville to face the East Carolina Pirates on Wednesday.

Game Notes:

  • Morgan lasted just 2.1 innings on the mound for UNC, as he allowed three runs on four hits during that span.
  • The Tar Heels hit just 2-for-17 with runners on base in the game.