The ninth-ranked UNC baseball team continued its undefeated start to the 2017 season on Wednesday, cruising to an easy 11-1 victory at Boshamer Stadium over the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs (2-3).
Sophomore third baseman Kyle Datres went just 1-for-4 in the game, but his two-run home run capped a five-run first inning for the Tar Heels (4-0) that gave them plenty of room to work with the rest of the way.
Pitching with a big lead for nearly the entire time he was in the game, Cole Aker tossed six innings and gave up just one run on three hits. It was the first start of the season for the sophomore, who has pitched out of the bullpen for most of his career in Chapel Hill.
Star centerfielder Brian Miller also had his best game of the season for the Tar Heels, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base out of the leadoff spot.
Other top contributors for head coach Mike Fox’s squad on Wednesday included junior infielders Logan Warmoth and Zack Gahagan.
Warmoth drove in a pair of runs hitting behind Miller in the lineup, while Gahagan added two RBI of his own–including a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh with UNC already up big.
After three straight narrow wins over Kentucky this past weekend–games that required freshman closer Josh Hiatt to pick up a save every time–the Tar Heel bullpen faced much less pressure against Gardner-Webb.
Austin Bergner, Trevor Gay and Brett Daniels combined to finish off the Bulldogs over the final three frames, allowing just two hits total while each throwing one shutout inning apiece.
Up Next:
The Tar Heels will continue their 17-game homestand to open the year with a three-game series this weekend at Boshamer Stadium against Radford.
Game Notes:
- UNC pitchers struck out nine Gardner-Webb hitters, while surrendering just five hits.
- Gahagan improved his season batting average to a team-high .467.
- The Tar Heels went 5-for-5 at the plate in the game in situations with a runner on third base and less than two outs.
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