Though the North Carolina baseball team eventually exploded for 11 runs Saturday, the Tar Heels could’ve gotten by with just one.
UNC ace Kent Emanuel notched his fourth win of the season in a dazzling outing to lead No. 1 UNC (20-1, 6-1 ACC) past Boston College (3-16, 0-7 ACC) 11-0 in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader.
Emanuel didn’t allow a hit until two outs into the fifth inning, finishing with just three hits allowed, seven strikeouts and no walks in his eight frames.
Boston College starter Eric Stevens held UNC scoreless until the top of the fifth when a Mike Zolk opposite-field double drove in the Tar Heels’ first run and a Matt Roberts suicide squeeze — along with an error from the Boston College first baseman — plated two more.
The Tar Heels tacked on five more runs in the top of the sixth, which included a deep three-run bomb into the right center-field trees from Brian Holberton. UNC also scored another three runs in the eighth inning to pad the nation’s best scoring margin.
However, those runs would prove as nothing more than insurance for Emanuel, who finally gave way to right-handed reliever Reilly Hovis in the ninth after throwing 100 pitches.
The series with Boston College was moved from Chestnut Hill, Mass., to Chapel Hill due to unplayable weather conditions. As a result, the Eagles are batting in the home half of each inning.
The second game of the doubleheader is scheduled to take place at approximately 3:20 p.m. The third and final game of the series will be played Sunday at 1 p.m.
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