The Diamond Heels won both games of a two-game midweek series against Rutgers at Boshamer Stadium on Tuesday and Wednesday. The victories extend Carolina’s home winning streak to 19, and its overall winning streak to 11 – the program’s longest since 2017.
The first game on Tuesday got off to a bumpy start, as Rutgers pushed four runs across in the first innings to put UNC in an early hole. But the Diamond Heels got back in the game immediately, scoring three in the bottom of the first on RBIs from Casey Cook, Anthony Donofrio and Parks Harber.
Cook had his hands all over Carolina’s winning effort, as he tied the game in the fourth inning and then broke a 6-6 tie in the seventh with a two-RBI double. In UNC’s game-breaking five-run rally in the eighth inning, it was Cook who delivered the final punch, singling to bring in two more runners. The sophomore left fielder finished with four hits, a run scored and a career-high six RBIs in the 13-7 Carolina victory.
Rutgers again scored first on Wednesday, but once again Carolina had a response, scoring twice in the bottom of the first to grab a 2-1 lead. After Rutgers tied the game in the third, UNC scored twice in the fourth and once in the fifth on an Alberto Osuna RBI double to go ahead 5-2. The Diamond Heels led 7-3 after six innings before Rutgers closed to within a run on a series of Carolina miscues. With the score 7-6 in the eighth, Luke Stevenson stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter and launched a two-run home run over the right field fence.
Those insurance runs proved critical, as the Knights hit a two-run blast of their own in the ninth inning to slice the deficit back to a run at 9-8. Fortunately for Carolina, Matt Poston was able to settle down and earn the final two outs of the game to secure the win. It’s UNC’s fifth one-run win already on the season after winning just five such games in all of 2023.
The Diamond Heels are now 16-2 through 18 games. They will hit the road this weekend for a difficult ACC series at Miami, which swept Carolina the last time the teams faced off in Coral Gables. First pitch of Friday’s opener is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Joe Bray
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