The ninth-ranked UNC baseball team improved to 5-0 this season after junior centerfielder Brian Miller’s two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning gave the Tar Heels a 2-0 series-opening win over the Radford Highlanders on Friday at Boshamer Stadium.

It was the first home run of 2017 for Miller, the Raleigh native who earned Second Team All-American honors in the preseason.

UNC’s other preseason All-American selection–junior right-hander JB Bukauskas–did his fair share of work against Radford (1-4) on Friday as well.

A lack of offense kept Bukauskas from officially earning the win, but he threw seven shutout innings while striking out 11 hitters during his time on the mound.

In his first two starts of the season, Bukauskas has yet to surrender a run in his 13 innings thrown–and has picked double-digit strikeouts in each outing.

Sophomore reliever Rodney Hutchison got the win on his record for his work shutting down Radford in the eighth inning.

Meanwhile, freshman Josh Hiatt continued to look like anything but a newcomer in the closer role. Hiatt picked up his fourth save in five games–matching the entire team total from 2016.

Up Next:

UNC will look to continue its undefeated start with two more games against Radford, on Saturday and Sunday.

Game Notes:

  • Logan Warmoth–UNC’s junior shortstop–went 3-for-4 in the game, improving his season batting average to .500.
  • Freshman Michael Busch also continues to impress at first base for the Tar Heels. He went 2-for-4 on Friday, combing with Warmoth to account for five of the team’s seven hits.

 

FINAL BOX SCORE

 

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