The No. 6 North Carolina baseball team (2-0) defeated Texas Tech (0-2), 8-3, to sweep an opening day doubleheader on Friday at Boshamer Stadium. The victory marks the 11th consecutive season the Tar Heels have won their season-opening series.
“Doubleheaders, I told our guys, they’re really hard to win,” head coach Scott Forbes said. “They should be proud of that.”
Graduate first baseman Hunter Stokely recorded two hits and two RBIs. Junior center fielder Kane Kepley added two hits and scored two runs.
First-year right-handed reliever Walker McDuffie earned the win. He pitched three and two thirds scoreless innings out of the bullpen with five strikeouts.
“He goes out there, he’s got his glasses on, the other team’s probably like ‘Who is this guy, this freshman?’” Forbes said. “All of a sudden, that bolt comes out at 94 with that nasty slider.”
Kepley was hit by a pitch to lead off for the Tar Heels in the bottom of the first. He stole second and then scored on a base hit to left of the bat of graduate right fielder Tyson Bass.
Texas Tech right fielder Damian Bravo tied the game in the top of the second with a solo home run to left field off of UNC starter right-hander Aidan Haugh.
The Tar Heels took the lead back with a two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth. Graduate shortstop Alex Madera doubled and senior second baseman Jackson Van De Brake walked. Stokely stroked a double into the left-center field gap to plate two.
Left-handed pitcher Kyle Percival relieved Haugh after three innings. Haugh allowed one run on four hits, walking one and striking out three. In the top of the fifth, Percival allowed a solo home run off the bat of TJ Pompey that made the score 3-2.
