Much like it did the night before, the No. 10 North Carolina baseball team made use of the big inning Saturday, dominating Duke for the second game in a row en route to a 12-2 win.
In Friday's matchup, the Tar Heels (16-2, 4-1 ACC) were locked in a tight game with the Blue Devils (10-9, 1-4 ACC) before they eventually broke the game open with a five-run sixth inning.
On Saturday, UNC wasted no time putting runs on the board.
With runners on second and third and one out in the top of the first inning, junior outfielder Tyler Ramirez jumped on a pitch and drove it into the gap in right-center for a triple, scoring both runs. Two batters later, sophomore infielder Logan Warmoth drove Ramirez in on a ground out to the pitcher.
Before a Duke batter took his first swing, the Tar Heels were already up 3-0.
In the top of the third, Ramirez came through again, singling in Adam Pate to put the Tar Heels up 4-0. The junior's hit sparked a five-run inning for the Tar Heels.
Before a Duke batter recorded a hit, North Carolina was already up 8-0.
UNC went on to add four more runs over the next six innings, marking the second time in as many games that the Tar Heels put up 10-plus runs on their rivals.
On the mound, sophomore J.B. Bukauskas worked out of trouble several times to limit the Blue Devils to just one run on four hits in six innings of work. The right-hander's control was spotty at times — he recorded six walks on the day — but was able to settle down and limit the damage before Duke could mount a big inning of its own.
