UNC scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to take an 11-1 lead at No. 2 Florida State Friday night, and a clean bottom of the inning secured a dominant, 10-run rule victory for the Diamond Heels to clinch the series from the Seminoles.

Carolina never trailed, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the third thanks to a Luke Stevenson sacrifice fly and a Gavin Gallaher single and never looking back. Though the Seminoles got one run back in the bottom of the inning, it was all the damage the league’s top offense would manage against UNC starter Jason DeCaro. The sophomore followed up Jake Knapp’s complete game Thursday night with six strong innings, striking out seven Seminole hitters and allowing just the one run in the second. He earned his eighth win of the season.

UNC followed up its two-run third by scoring in every remaining frame for the rest of the night. Hunter Stokely was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in the first of three runs in the top of the fourth, and the next two came in on an Alex Madera single on the very next pitch.

Carter French and Kane Kepley picked up RBIs in the sixth, extending the lead to 8-1. Tyson Bass then dropped the hammer in the seventh, crushing a three-run home run into the Tallahassee night and putting UNC up 10, setting the Diamond Heels up for a run-rule victory.

Walker McDuffie worked a clean seventh inning to secure the win, retiring the Seminoles on seven pitches. He was only the third UNC pitcher to appear through two games in Tallahassee so far.

The win is UNC’s eighth via the run rule this season and fifth in ACC play. The Diamond Heels are now 39-11 overall and 18-10 in league play. Friday night’s win clinched a Top-4 finish in the conference standings for Carolina, securing a double-bye into the quarterfinals in next week’s ACC Tournament. Carolina will go for a three-game sweep of the Seminoles – and at least a share of the ACC regular-season crown – in the series and regular-season finale Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.

 

Featured image via UNC Baseball on Twitter

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