The Diamond Heels dropped the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader vs. Virginia, but walked off the Cavaliers in the second to avoid a three-game sweep.

As it did in game one of the series, Virginia blew Carolina out in Saturday’s opener, leading 8-0 in the sixth inning on its way to a 9-2 win. UNC starting pitcher Ryan Lynch struggled through four innings, allowing five runs on six hits before he was pulled. For Carolina, its only offense came on solo home runs from Gavin Gallaher in the sixth inning and Owen Hull in the seventh. UNC managed just two hits otherwise.

Virginia got off to another hot start in the second game of the doubleheader, taking a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning after Carolina had scored first on another Gallaher home run. But this time, the Diamond Heels rallied, scoring two runs apiece in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game at 5-5.

In the ninth, it looked like Virginia might steal the game and earn the sweep after scoring a run off UNC reliever Walker McDuffie, but freshman Tyler Howe came up clutch in the bottom of the inning by blasting his first collegiate home run over the right field fence.

Carolina threatened to walk the game off in the ninth by loading the bases for Macon Winslow, but the catcher struck out swinging to force extra innings.

After scoreless 10th and 11th innings, Virginia again put itself three outs away from a sweep with a run off Matthew Matthijs in the 12th, taking the lead again at 7-6. In the bottom of the inning, Winslow began Carolina’s game-winning rally with a walk before yielding to pinch runner Perry Hargett. The speedy Hargett paid the gamble off by advancing to second base on a wild pitch, then scoring on a Hull double to tie the game at 7-7. After Hull then advanced to third on another wild pitch, Howe came up clutch again with a walk-off single to seal UNC’s 8-7 win.

After the weekend series, UNC is now 13-3-1 on the season and 1-2 in ACC play. Carolina will be back in action Tuesday when it hosts Bucknell at Boshamer Stadium before heading west for a three-game series at Cal during the weekend.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Ainsley E. Fauth

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Baseball Sweeps Weekend Series at No. 23 Notre Dame
The Diamond Heels scored 34 total runs across a three-game sweep at No. 23 Notre Dame during the weekend. It’s the second road sweep this season for UNC, which is now 7-0 in road games. The two teams played a doubleheader Saturday after Friday’s opening game was postponed. A back-and-forth Game 1 saw the teams […]
UNC Baseball Beats South Carolina in Annual Charlotte Game
The Diamond Heels scored six runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on their way to a 9-1 win against South Carolina at Truist Field in Charlotte Tuesday night. It’s the second straight win in the annual series for UNC. 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹 😤 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙖 >> 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘢#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/eoLYTnDkmc — […]
UNC Baseball Uses Sunday Comeback to Win Home Series vs. Louisville
The Diamond Heels earned a key series win against Louisville at Boshamer Stadium during the weekend, and Carolina had to mount a comeback in the series finale Sunday to do so. The series opener saw UNC earn another 10-run rule result in an 11-1 win which was ended after eight innings. Carolina seized control with […]
UNC Baseball Beats UNC-Greensboro for 6th Consecutive Win
The Diamond Heels scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on their way to an 8-2 win against UNC-Greensboro at Boshamer Stadium Wednesday afternoon. It’s Carolina’s sixth consecutive win. Tar Heels!! What is your profession??#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/R10awQaW0N — Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) March 18, 2026 The five-run inning broke open what had […]
UNC Baseball Dominates in 3-Game Road Sweep at Cal
The Diamond Heels played dominant baseball in a three-game road sweep of Cal in Berkeley during the weekend. UNC never trailed in any of the three games. Friday’s opening game saw Carolina ace Jason DeCaro silence the Bear bats in the early innings. Freshman Tyler Howe provided the game’s first offense with an RBI single […]
UNC Baseball Beats Bucknell in Chapel Hill; 8th Run-Rule Win This Season
The Diamond Heels scored eight runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on their way to a 13-3 win against visiting Bucknell at Boshamer Stadium Tuesday. Carolina won the game in seven innings via the 10-run rule, marking the teams eighth win by way of the run rule already this season. 𝐀 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐮𝐛 […]
UNC Baseball Drops ACC Opener vs. Virginia in Blowout Fashion
The Diamond Heels were on the wrong end of the 10-run rule Friday, as visiting Virginia dominated UNC 13-3 in a game ended after seven innings. The Cavalier bats jumped all over UNC starting pitcher Jason DeCaro, bashing six hits and scoring five runs in just three innings. Only two of those Virginia runs were […]
UNC Baseball Beats Elon at Boshamer Stadium; ACC Play Next
It took all nine innings this time, but the Diamond Heels were still able to comfortably beat Elon 5-1 at Boshamer Stadium Tuesday afternoon. Light work of the fire birds 🔥#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/HVWEAqyNhK — Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) March 3, 2026 Carolina’s offense was nowhere near its historic level showcased in its weekend sweep of […]
UNC Baseball Rides Hot Bats to Home Sweep vs. Le Moyne
The Diamond Heels scored a combined 49 runs across a three-game sweep of Le Moyne at Boshamer Stadium during the weekend. All three games were ended early via the 10-run rule. Friday’s opening game saw Carolina score five runs in the first inning thanks to a sacrifice fly, a bases-loaded walk and a bases clearing […]
UNC Baseball Wins Midweek Matchups vs. North Carolina A&T, VCU
The Diamond Heels had no trouble in a pair of midweek games against North Carolina A&T and VCU. Carolina outscored the opposition 22-4 on its way to wins in both matchups at Boshamer Stadium. Tuesday against the Aggies, George Mason transfer Owen Hull had the best game of his young UNC career with three hits […]
›