UNC tops Duke 8-1 in ACC opener

After starting the most games on North Carolina's baseball team last season, sophomore right-handed pitcher Zac Gallen was moved to the bullpen at the beginning of the season.

But he didn't complain about the move, and he didn't stay in the pen long either.

Just a week after setting his career-high in strikeouts against Rhode Island with nine, Gallen did it again in No. 16 UNC's ACC opener against Duke, striking out 12 batters in the Tar Heels' 8-1 win.

"Zac’s a good example, that’s the first thing I’ll tell the team. Because we started the season and he wasn’t one of our weekend guys," said Coach Mike Fox. "He was all last year as a freshman. Didn’t pout. He wasn’t happy about it, but he didn’t pout, and he pitched great out of the bullpen and then we throw him in the worst possible weather last weekend and he pitches great."

"So I’m hoping all the other pitchers just take a look at that. Just be prepared. And he was prepared."

In his preparation, Gallen said he watched video of Duke's hitters and saw that they were looking to hit the ball backside, and crowding the plate to try and help with that.

So he countered by attacking the inside of the plate early with a collection of fastballs: a four-seam, a two-seam, and a cutter that he picked up over the summer.

"Basically I just tried to get the cutter," Gallen said. "I knew when I watched the video that a lot of guys were swinging first pitch, so I knew if I could get the cutter established they were probably going to take it because they hadn’t seen it before.

"Last year I was a slider, changeup guy so to change it up on them was good. And I just felt really good with it today."

Gallen threw seven full innings and limited the Blue Devils to four hits, two walks and just one unearned run with his fastball-heavy approach.

"Unbelievable," said junior catcher Korey Dunbar, who recorded his first career triple during his 2-4 day at the plate. "The guy works his tail off. It shows today. I couldn’t be more proud of him, we couldn’t be more proud of him.

"That’s what you want to see out there, just command of his fastball. And I gotta say location, location, location. He didn’t not a hit a spot all night, he just did an outstanding job."

But not only is it a new thing for Gallen to strike out 12 hitters in one game — it's a new thing for him to be striking out batters, period.

"It’s actually kind of weird because growing up I (was) never striking anybody out," he said. "I was always the contact guy, so it’s a little surreal to be striking a lot of guys out, but I mean I’ll take the outs anyway I can get them."

And Friday night, Gallen had no problems getting them. 

sports@dailytarheel.com