The Diamond Heels set a new season high by hitting four home runs in a 13-7 win at UNC-Wilmington Tuesday night. It was the second win of the season for UNC against the Seahawks, after Carolina won 14-5 at Boshamer Stadium in April.

Gavin Gallaher got the home run party started early, launching a three-run blast 405 feet into the Wilmington evening in the first inning to give UNC an early lead. After UNC-Wilmington blasted a solo shot of its own in the bottom of the frame, Owen Hull answered right back in the second with another three-run home run, opening up the Carolina lead to 6-1.

UNC would lead for the entire evening, but not without some tests from the Seahawks. UNC-Wilmington scored in the second, third, fourth, sixth and eighth innings. The Seahawks brought the tying run to the plate in both the seventh and eighth innings, with Camron Seagraves inheriting a one out, runners on second and third jam in the former. He struck out the first batter he faced but walked the second, bringing the tying run up to bat with UNC leading 10-6. Seagraves didn’t need long to work his way out of the jam, striking out UNC-Wilmington’s Josh Martinez on three pitches.

It was Tom Chmielewski’s turn to escape trouble the next inning, entering the game after Seagraves walked the first two batters. One Seahawk run scored on an RBI single to bring the tying run up once again with one out, but a flyout and a strikeout ensured the UNC lead was still safe.

UNC’s fourth and final home run of the game (Erik Paulsen had hit the third) came in a three-run ninth inning which helped seal the win. After Cooper Nicholson had scored and Tyler Howe had advanced to third base on a wild pitch, Hynek stepped up and blasted a two-run home run, extending the lead to 13-7.

Hull and Gallaher combined for eight runs batted in on the night, while four UNC batters finished with multiple hits. On the mound, Carolina pitchers combined to strand 11 Seahawk runners. Matthew Matthijs earned his third win of the season with 3.1 innings of relief.

UNC is now 41-9-1 overall on the season and 12-2 in true road games. That record will be put to the test when the Diamond Heels close out the regular season with a three-game series at NC State. First pitch in Thursday’s opening game in Raleigh is scheduled for 7 p.m.

 

Featured image via UNC Baseball on Twitter


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