UNC Baseball Cruises Past Pittsburgh in Run Rule Victory

The Diamond Heels scored nine runs across the final four innings of Saturday’s contest against Pittsburgh at Boshamer Stadium, beating the Panthers 12-2 in a game ended after eight innings via the run rule.

The blowout win overshadowed what was a shaky start for UNC, as the Panthers loaded the bases with nobody out in the first inning against starting pitcher Ryan Lynch. But Lynch induced a double play from home plate to first base and then another groundout to end the inning, somehow escaping the jam with no runs allowed.

Pittsburgh would eventually score first with a solo home run in the third, but that 1-0 lead wouldn’t last a full inning. In the bottom of the frame, Colin Hynek and Carter French both reached before Jake Schaffner tied the game with a ground rule double to drive in Hynek from second base. After a Panther pitching change, French scored on an Owen Hull single, and Schaffner would trot home on a sacrifice fly. It was 3-1 UNC after three innings.

Schaffner was at it again in the fifth, driving in Hynek again with his second double of the game. Cooper Nicholson blasted his 13th home run of the season and second in as many days in the sixth to extend UNC’s lead to 6-2, but Carolina would wait until the next inning to blow the game open.

Schaffner led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk, and a single from Hull and a Gavin Gallaher walk loaded the bases with nobody out. Macon Winslow and Erik Paulsen drove in a pair with consecutive sacrifice flies before Nicholson stayed hot with a single to drive in Gallaher. Nicholson then came home on Tyler Howe’s third home run of the season, giving UNC a 5-spot in the seventh and an 11-2 lead.

UNC finished off the run-rule win the next inning, as Schaffner walked and then advanced to third base on another walk and a passed ball. He’d come in to score on a Gallaher sacrifice fly, ending the game early.

All nine UNC hitters reached base at least once, and Schaffner, Hull and Nicholson each finished with a pair of hits. Carolina batters also drew seven walks and two hit by pitches.

On the mound, Lynch logged six innings to earn his fourth win of the season. Walker McDuffie, showing no ill effects from a walk-filled outing Friday night, recorded the final six outs. By comparison, Pittsburgh used 10 total pitchers.

With Saturday’s win, UNC improves to 39-9-1 overall on the season and 19-7 in ACC play. The Diamond Heels have also secured a top four finish in the ACC and a conference tournament double bye for the second consecutive season under the league’s new format. UNC can go for a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh – which would be the team’s first sweep since March – Sunday at 1 p.m.

Featured image via UNC Baseball on Twitter

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