UNC beats Boston College Sunday to win first ACC series of 2025 season
The UNC baseball team, despite entering this weekend with a great 16-5 record, had yet to win an ACC baseball series in two previous tries.
North Carolina hosted ACC newcomer Stanford the second weekend of March, but lost two of three games in a series defined by pitching struggles. The Diamond Heels then traveled to Louisville for a March 14-16 series, also dropping two out of three games.
UNC spent this weekend up at Boston College – and the results played out much better. North Carolina took two of three games in its second ACC road series: winning 5-1 on Friday, March 21, losing a close 3-2 battle on Saturday, then winning 10-0 in a 7-inning mercy rule on Sunday.
The Diamond Heels (18-6, 4-5 ACC) are 10th in a loaded conference typically amongst college baseball's best, but their series victory over the Eagles (10-11, 3-6) is a solid start on their ascent towards the top. UNC started the year 13-0, but I'm almost certain the boys would rather play their best baseball come May/June.
North Carolina's defining factors in Friday's victory were shutdown pitching from starter Jake Knapp and clutch offense in the later innings. The Diamond Heels only mustered five hits during Saturday's loss and Jason DeCaro gave up a 3-run home run during the fifth inning, but scored seven runs in the first two innings Sunday and rode a 1-hit performance from starting pitcher Aidan Haugh.
Let's take a deeper dive into this weekend's series victory over BC, which prepares UNC for a tough week that includes games against South Carolina and the Miami (FL) Hurricanes.
Game 1 - UNC 5, Boston College 1
It took half the game for North Carolina's bats to wake up, but they finally did in the fifth inning. Designated hitter Sam Angelo's fifth-inning solo home run gave the Diamond Heels a lead they never relinquished, en route to a 5-1 victory over the host Eagles.
UNC piled onto its lead in the seventh, with captain Jackson Van De Brake doubling and left fielder Sawyer Black singling. Nick Wang's seventh-inning sacrifice fly cut Boston College's deficit to four, but Hunter Stokely's 2-run jack in the eighth inning gave North Carolina a needed cushion.
Diamond Heels starter Jake Knapp improved his record to 4-0 with 6 2/3 innings of 2-hit, 1-run ball. Matthew Matthijs and Walker McDuffie combined to allow just one hit the rest of Friday's win.
Game 2 - Boston College 3, UNC 2
North Carolina's offense failed to take advantage of a 4-walk day from Eagles starting pitcher Tyler Mudd, only tacking him for one run in a 3-2 loss.
Gavin Gallaher gave the Diamond Heels a 1-0 lead in the third inning, thanks to a sacrifice fly, only for Patrick Roche's fifth-inning, 3-run jack to give Boston College a lead it never relinquished. DeCaro picked up the quality start for UNC, allowing just three runs on seven hits in six innings, but Alex Madera was UNC's only position player with multiple hits.
Game 3 - UNC 10, Boston College 0
Sunday's game looked much more like the North Carolina team that started a dangerous 13-0. The Diamond Heels scored seven runs in the first two innings, while Haugh tossed seven innings of 1-hit baseball in a 10-0, 7-inning victory shortened by mercy rule.
Hunter Stokely continued to show why he's UNC's top hitter on Sunday, enjoying a 3-of-5 day at the plate, with three RBIs and runs scored. North Carolina right fielder Tyson Bass also enjoyed a three RBI day, while Gallaher and center fielder Kane Kepley each recorded two hits.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Aidan Haugh highlights UNC's series-clinching win over Boston College
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