With a dominating 14-0 victory over James Madison University in the second round of the NCAA regional, the North Carolina baseball team registered its first ever pair of consecutive shutouts during NCAA play.
UNC pitcher Patrick Johnson (12-1) took the spotlight, holding Division I’s highest scoring offense to only three hits during 27 at-bats over eight innings. The contest was Johnson’s sixth straight win and put his name in the history books as one of only seven UNC pitchers to reach 12 victories.
“The biggest key for me is throwing strikes and letting my defense do the work,” Johnson said. “I have a great defense behind me and great things happen when I let them make the plays.”
Johnson struck out 11 JMU batters to register his 23rd consecutive scoreless inning before retiring at the end of the eighth. Alongside Johnson, the performance by UNC’s fielders allowed the team to end the Dukes’ 10-game winning streak and record JMU’s lowest scoring output all season.
Associate Head Coach Scott Forbes again coached UNC in head coach Mike Fox’s absence from the dug out.
“I’ve never seen a kid come off an injury and work like he has,” Forbes said of Johnson. “Everything he’s getting is what he deserves and he’s pitched really well for us since he’s been here. He’s done a good job leading us.”
Offensively, the Tar Heels broke the game wide open after tacking on seven runs in the seventh frame to add to the 4-0 margin. UNC also scored three in the ninth to bring the final tally to 14 runs.
The Dukes sent in three additional pitchers over the course of the inning to relieve James Weiner, though none were able to break the Tar Heels’ stride. The pitchers combined to allow two walked-in runs, a score on a wild pitch and two singles that led to RBI.
Designated hitter Greg Holt homered in the second inning and combined to drive in four runs while Ben Bunting finished with three RBI and Chaz Frank managed to drive in two runs after scoring one himself.
