Entering Friday night’s game against Notre Dame, the UNC baseball team needed a win in the worst way.

Instead of panicking, though, the Tar Heels simply rode the back of their calmest player–junior right-hander Zac Gallen–to a 3-0 shutout win over the Fighting Irish.

UNC improves to 32-18 (11-14 ACC) with the win, while Notre Dame drops to 26-23 (10-13 ACC).

In what was likely his final start at Boshamer Stadium, Gallen–who is projected to be taken in the first four rounds of June’s MLB Draft–threw eight scoreless innings of two-hit ball on 115 pitches, as he also struck out eight hitters in the victory.

Eli Sutherland and the rest of the UNC infield was kept busy against Notre Dame, as the Fighting Irish struggled to find holes. (Joe Bray/ UNC Athletics)

Eli Sutherland and the rest of the UNC infield was kept busy against Notre Dame, as the Fighting Irish struggled to find holes. (Joe Bray/ UNC Athletics)

“As the weeks go on you kinda think ‘Alright this one’s important,'” Gallen said after the game. “But as the season goes on they get even more important. So I’m just glad we’re getting to start off on a good note on Friday night.”

The first 14 Notre Dame hitters came up short against the Gibbsboro, New Jersey native, who was perfect through the first half of the game.

A double by Fighting Irish shortstop Lane Richards with two outs in the fifth inning ended any hope of a no-hitter, but it failed to get Gallen out of his rhythm.

Only the UNC coaching staff was able to stop Gallen, since the shorter turnaround before the start of next week’s series against NC State meant that eight innings and 115 pitches were more than enough.

And while the Tar Heel offense was held to just four hits, they were still able to give their ace enough run support to get the job done.

Tyler Ramirez drew a bases-loaded walk in the third inning, which set-up sophomore shortstop Logan Warmoth’s sacrifice fly on the very next at-bat–making it 2-0 in favor of UNC

Warmoth, who hit a walk-off home run last weekend against Louisville, then homered for the second straight weekend in the eighth inning to give closer Hansen Butler some insurance.

The secret to Warmoth’s recent success?

Like Gallen, he’s taking a calmer approach to the game–according to Tar Heel head coach Mike Fox.

Unlike Gallen, though, that’s not Warmoth’s natural personality.

“If it was legal, we’d give him a Valium–or like half of one–every time he’s on deck,” Fox said about his young shortstop. “He’s just so anxious. We finally got him to quit putting on his helmet and batting gloves five or six batters before he was supposed to hit–literally.”

A calmer approach at the plate let Logan Warmoth drive in two of UNC's three runs against Notre Dame on Friday. (Joe Bray/ UNC Athletics)

A calmer approach at the plate let Logan Warmoth drive in two of UNC’s three runs against Notre Dame on Friday. (Joe Bray/ UNC Athletics)

Whatever it is, Warmoth’s two RBIs helped UNC take advantage of yet another outstanding effort by Gallen, something that had to happen if the Tar Heels plan on making a late push to get into the ACC and NCAA Tournaments.

It was only fitting that in one of the most high-pressure situations the team has faced all season that the calmest player in the locker room was helped by the most anxious player in the locker room.

“It’s tough to tell yourself that you have to win, but for us we do,” Warmoth said. “It’s in the back of everyone’s head that we have to win. There’s still some things that could happen in the league, but like Coach has said, Virginia [which won the national title a year ago] had the worst record in the league at this point last year.

“We’ve just gotta get it going like we had it at the beginning of the year,” he continued, referencing the team’s 18-2 start. “That team, I know will go far.”

Up Next:

UNC and Notre Dame will meet on Saturday for game two of the series, with first pitch set for 6 p.m.

Game Notes:

  • The Tar Heels move to 9-17 this season when scoring five or fewer runs in a game.
  • Notre Dame second baseman Cavan Biggio, the son of MLB Hall-of-Famer Craig Biggio, went 0-for-3 in the game.
  • It was Gallen’s second start this season where he went at least eight innings without allowing a run He went the full nine in a shutout against Virginia Tech earlier this year.

 

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