The Diamond Heels’ pitching staff allowed 14 Duke hits in a 9-5 loss to the Blue Devils Friday night at Boshamer Stadium. The two teams have split the first two contests of the series, setting up a rubber match Saturday afternoon.

A pair of first-inning runs staked UNC starter Jason DeCaro to an early lead, but it evaporated quickly as Duke tied the game in the second. A Gavin Gallaher solo home run in the bottom of the second did nothing to halt the Duke momentum though, as the visitors continued to swing a hot bat. The Blue Devils scored two runs in the third, one in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth to keep the Diamond Heels at bay, adding one more in the eighth for good measure.

DeCaro was saddled with the loss after just three-plus innings (he faced one batter in the fourth, who hit a home run), during which he allowed five runs on seven hits. He did not record a strikeout. Matthew Matthijs relieved DeCaro and struck out three Blue Devils in the fourth, but had to leave the game while warming up for the fifth with an apparent arm injury. Folger Boaz, Olin Johnson and Cameron Padgett also pitched for UNC, with Padgett recording the final 12 outs.

At the plate, Gallaher was the only UNC batter to record multiple hits. He, Hunter Stokely and Jackson Van De Brake drove in the five Carolina runs. The Diamond Heels left seven men on base.

The loss drops UNC to 23-8 overall and 7-7 in ACC play. The series finale between the Diamond Heels and Blue Devils is scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m.

 

Featured image via UNC Baseball on Twitter

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