Zac Gallen pitches gem in UNC baseball's shutout win over UCLA in season opener

The matchup between the No. 21 North Carolina baseball team and No. 9 UCLA had all the makings of a pitchers' duel.

And junior pitcher Zac Gallen intended to win it.

In the Tar Heels' 4-0 win over the Bruins at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles, Gallen pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out 11 batters to help secure the victory in UNC's season opener. 

The score was gridlocked at zero after two innings because of superior pitching on both ends. Gallen and UCLA starting pitcher Grant Dyer each allowed one batter to reach first base, and the duo combined for seven strikeouts during this span.

But Dyer began to slip up in the top of the third inning, and North Carolina (1-0) pounced at the opportunity.

In his first at-bat as a Tar Heel, first-year catcher Cody Roberts singled to lead off the top of the third inning. He then advanced to third base on a single by first baseman Brian Miller before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Tyler Lynn, giving UNC a 1-0 edge. 

Meanwhile, Gallen continued to dominate on the mound in the bottom of the third inning, striking out the Bruins (0-1) in order after his team provided a one-run cushion.

And in the top of the sixth inning, UNC found a chance to stretch its lead.

First-year second baseman Kyle Datres reached first base after being hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a single by junior outfielder Tyler Ramirez. First-year designated hitter Brandon Riley then ripped a double into center field to drive in both runners.

Sophomore shortstop Logan Warmoth whacked another double in the ensuing at-bat, and Riley dashed across home plate to give the Tar Heels the 4-0 edge they held for the rest of the game.

Gallen encountered some trouble in the bottom of the seventh inning when he allowed two straight walks to put runners on first and second base with no outs. But he recorded a strikeout and induced an inning-ending double play to kill UCLA's chance of getting on the scoreboard.

For the remaining two innings, UNC stifled any attempts the Bruins made at cutting down the lead.

Sophomore relief pitcher Hansen Butler entered the game with runners on first and second base with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, and he recorded back-to-back strikeouts to seal the win for the Tar Heels.

Quotable

“Just trying to be around the zone and let my defense work. I just kind of moved the ball in and out. Just kind of hit my spot, so it was good. It felt good out there.” — Gallen on his performance Friday night.

Notable

UNC allowed only one Bruin to reach third base in the game. Redshirt senior outfielder Eric Filia accomplished the feat in the fourth inning after hitting a two-out single and advancing to third on a single by junior designated hitter Kort Peterson. Both runners were stranded, as Gallen got out of the jam with a fly out to end the inning.

In his first game as a Tar Heel, Riley led the team offensively with two RBIs.

Three numbers that matter

11: Gallen's 11 strikeouts were one shy of his career-high of 12, which came against Duke during the 2015 season.

4: The Tar Heels shut out an opponent on Opening Day for the fourth time since the 2005 campaign.

1: Butler's save was the first of his UNC career. 

What’s next?

The Tar Heels and Bruins will play the second game of their three-game series at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Sophomore righty J.B. Bukauskas will make his season debut for UNC against UCLA sophomore right-hander Griffin Canning.

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