Behind a crippling pitching performance by Zac Gallen, the No. 13 North Carolina baseball team shut out Virginia Tech 6-0 to claim a win in the first game of the series on Friday night at Boshamer Stadium.
The first two innings were quiet on the offensive end, as UNC failed to tally a hit. But that wasn’t a problem, as the Tar Heels (22-8, 7-6 ACC) suffocated the Hokies (10-21, 1-12 ACC) with a stifling defensive performance.
In the first inning, Gallen picked up a bunted ball and slung it to second base, where Logan Warmoth recorded an out before throwing the ball to first to complete a double play. In the next inning, right fielder Adam Pate threw out a baserunner trying to turn a single into a double.
North Carolina started clicking on the offensive end in the third inning, when Pate whacked a double to left-center field. He proceeded to score UNC’s first run of the game off an RBI single by Brian Miller.
In the next inning, Kyle Datres extended North Carolina's lead to 2-0, driving a pitch over the left-field wall for his first career home run. Two innings later, he tacked on another run for UNC with an RBI single.
Meanwhile, Gallen quelled any attempt Virginia Tech could muster at a comeback. He struck out 10 batters and allowed just three hits in his first eight innings of work. Behind him, UNC’s outfield reacted quickly to balls hit in play to limit the Hokies’ scoring chances.
In case that wasn’t enough, North Carolina buried Virginia Tech with a three-run eighth inning. Tyler Ramirez scored from third base on a throwing error by the catcher, and Zack Gahagan later tacked on two more runs for UNC with a bases-loaded single.
Gallen took the mound in the ninth inning, and after he allowed a leadoff single, he struck out the next three batters to conclude his complete-game performance.
