CHAPEL HILL – Things looked grim for UNC baseball for much of the game Friday night against UVA in Boshamer Stadium, but six Tar Heel runs in the bottom of the eighth gave them the 8-5 win and their first ACC Regular Season Championship title since 1990.
UNC started the contest down 3-0, then 5-2 going into the bottom of the eighth, but six runs during that inning put the Tar Heels on top for the win. The first came from an RBI triple from Michael Russell, who would then walk-in one more. Cody Stubbs tied things up at five before Chaz Frank batted one in to give the Heels the 6-5 lead.
Landon Lassiter and Colin Moran rounded out the inning putting one RBI on the board apiece.
Russell showcased particularly impressive numbers for the Heels, batting 4 for 4. Sophomore pitcher Chris McCue took the win and is now 6-0 on the season. Colin is now only the third Tar Heel in history to reach 80 RBIs.
The Cavaliers did their scoring with a two RBIs in the third, one RBI in the fourth, two solo home runs in the fourth and the fifth from Brandon Downes and Mike Papi, and a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Carolina is now 47-7 overall, 21-6 in ACC play, and has clinched a top seed in next week’s ACC Tournament. UNC has now also earned its fifth ACC Coastal Division Title since 2006.
The Heels wrap up their series against the Cavaliers Sunday in Chapel Hill with the first pitch set for 2:00 p.m.
