Virginia Walks Over UNC Baseball, Hands Tar Heels Fourth Straight Sunday Loss

In search of its first series victory over Virginia since 2012, the No. 15 UNC baseball team instead was a victim once again of the Sunday blues–falling 15-9 to the Cavaliers for its fourth straight loss in a series finale.

The Tar Heels–now 25-11 (9-9 ACC)–walked a season-high 13 batters, and hit one, in perhaps their sloppiest pitching performance of the season.  Virginia’s 15 runs were the most UNC has allowed in 2016, beating the previous mark of 10 set by Georgia Tech in late March.

At the plate, Brian Miller had a perfect day for the Tar Heels, going 5-for-5, while the “Toy Cannon,” second baseman Eli Sutherland, went 2-for-4 with four RBIs.

Tyler Ramirez had 3 RBIs on Sunday, but the Tar Heels lost for the first time this season when scoring more than six runs. (Smith Cameron Photography)

Victory has been almost guaranteed this season when the Tar Heels get hitting performances as good as they got Sunday, racking up 15 hits to Virginia’s 12.

Entering the game UNC was 18-0 in games where it scored at least six runs and 21-2 in games where it out-hit its opponent.

UNC also built leads of 3-0 and 5-3 early on, but struggled to find the strike zone, letting Virginia (23-15, 9-9 ACC) to climb back each time.

Right-hander Jason Morgan started the game for the Tar Heels, but was pulled in the second inning after his fourth walk loaded the bases. He was replaced by junior reliever AJ Bogucki, who walked Ernie Clement before surrendering a two-run single to Matt Thaiss–tying the score at 3-3.

After UNC went back ahead in the top of the fourth inning, Bogucki retired the first two men he faced in the bottom of the frame. Then he walked the bases the loaded.

The next man up, shortstop Daniel Pinero, cleared the bases with a double down the left-field line to put the Cavaliers back in front.

Seven pitchers saw action for UNC on Sunday, with none going longer than two innings. (Smith Cameron Photography)

Next out of the bullpen for the Tar Heels was Spencer Trayner. More trouble ensued, as Trayner walked the first two men he faced. Meeting a similar fate as Bogucki, he only pitched to one more–allowing a bases-clearing double to Cameron Simmons.

At that point, Virginia led the game 9-5 but had just five hits–two of which were three-run doubles.

A two-run homer in the fifth off freshman Taylor Sugg by the Cavaliers’ star catcher, Thaiss, led to Virginia following its six-run inning with a four-run inning.

UNC plated three runs in the sixth inning and one in the seventh, but could never keep Virginia from doing the same. The Cavaliers added a tally in their half of the sixth and another in the eighth.

By the end of the game the Tar Heels had used seven pitchers, who had totaled an incredible 208 pitches.

Up Next:

The Tar Heels will return home to Boshamer Stadium on Tuesday for a game against Coastal Carolina. First pitch for that game is set for 6 p.m.

Game Notes:

• UNC is 1-5 in Sunday games against ACC opponents.
• Sutherland went 6-for-12 with 7 RBIs, a double and a home run during the series for UNC.
• The game took nearly four and a half hours to complete.
• Junior center fielder Tyler Ramirez went 2-for-2 with 3 RBIs for the Tar Heels, increasing his team-leading batting average to .385.

FINAL BOX SCORE

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