Trailing 12-2 through six innings on Saturday afternoon in South Bend, the UNC baseball team staged a historic comeback attempt and nearly completed it before ultimately falling by a score of 13-12.
Angel Zarate and Dallas Tessar each homered and finished with four RBIs in the game, but it would not be enough to overcome the damage Notre Dame did early on.
An RBI groundout by Zarate in the top of the second inning tied the game 1-1, but the Fighting Irish (23-8, 20-8 ACC) responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame to build a comfortable lead against UNC starter Shawn Rapp.
After two runs in the fourth inning, three runs in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth, Notre Dame had extended its lead to double digits and appeared to have the game all wrapped up.
Tessar then launched a two-run homer in the seventh, which was followed by an RBI single from Zarate–as UNC began inching back into the game.
In the eighth inning, Tessar struck again with an RBI double while Zarate smashed a three-run homer. UNC also scored on a balk and a wild pitch in the inning, finishing with six total runs to close the gap on the scoreboard to just one.
Notre Dame added an extra insurance run in the bottom of the eighth which would prove to be the difference, since the Tar Heels scored again in the ninth on a solo home run by Max Riemer.
The loss dropped UNC (20-20, 14-15 ACC) to .500 through 40 games this season.
Up Next:
UNC looks to avoid the series sweep on Sunday, with first pitch set for 1 p.m.
Photo via UNC Athletics
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