No. 17 UNC baseball run rules Boston College, 10-0, to clinch series

The No. 17 North Carolina baseball team (18-6, 4-5 ACC) defeated Boston College (10-11, 3-6 ACC), 10-0, on Sunday afternoon in Brighton, Massachusetts. 

Senior right-handed pitcher Aidan Haugh threw 59 strikes on 96 pitches with 11 putouts to push the Tar Heels to the mercy rule victory. UNC captured the series on the road behind his performance.

Coming off a tough 3-2 loss in game two of the series on Saturday, the Diamond Heels knew they needed to get off to a fast start on Sunday to have a chance in the rubber match.

The batters answered the call early, getting two singles before sophomore catcher Luke Stevenson scored on a wild pitch. Graduate right fielder Tyson Bass brought one more in on a double. It was 2-0 UNC in the first.

Starting on the mound for the Tar Heels was Haugh, making his sixth start of the season. He struck out his first of the afternoon to close the bottom of the first.

UNC turned up the heat even more in the top of the second, with a single from graduate first baseman Hunter Stokely bringing in two runs. The floodgates opened for the Diamond Heels.

Sophomore third baseman Gavin Gallaher brought in Stevenson on the next at-bat and Bass brought in two more to bring the score up to 7-0 in favor of the Tar Heels.

The avalanche of runs forced BC to make an early pitching swap and the shell-shocked Eagles couldn’t muster any response in the bottom of the second.

The lack of response was the story of the game, as Boston College couldn't get anything going. A brief scoring lull lasted until the fifth when UNC scored on a fielder’s choice.

Stokely made it 9-0 North Carolina with a solo homer to center field in the sixth. A sacrifice fly in the seventh from junior center fielder Kane Kepley gave the Diamond Heels a 10-0 lead and put them squarely in mercy rule territory.

Haugh kept the Eagles at bay for the entire game, letting just one BC batter on base, with a walk that didn't come until the seventh inning. One other Eagle would reach base, via a throwing error in the bottom of the third. 

It was a no-hitter for Haugh until the final play of the game. A Boston College batted ball hit a baserunner and thus he was ruled out. UNC captured the 10-0 mercy rule victory in the seventh but Haugh would not have his no hitter as the officials ruled the final play an Eagles hit and then an out. 

UNC will face South Carolina on Tuesday, March 25th at 7 p.m at Truist Field in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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