UNC baseball earns walk-off win in extra innings against Coastal Carolina

Gavin Gallaher knew the game was on the line. He was ready. 

With one out in the bottom of the 11th, the sophomore third baseman approached the plate with bases loaded. Coastal Carolina intentionally walked sophomore catcher Luke Stevenson to face a righty like Gallaher. 

But it didn't matter. Gallaher had been in this situation before. He slowed himself down. He wanted to treat it like any other at-bat. 

On a 3-1 count, Gallaher sent a ball to center field. Coastal Carolina's Dean Mihos caught it with ease, but had no way to get it home in time before senior second baseman Jackson Van De Brake scored. The Tar Heels found another way to win. 

"You got Mr. Clutch right behind Luke in Gavin," head coach Scott Forbes said. "And that was a big sac fly."

The No. 4 Diamond Heels survived No. 24 Coastal Carolina, 5-4, in extra innings on Tuesday night at Boshamer Stadium. It was their first ranked matchup and true test of the season. A much-needed UNC relay powered an efficient 11th inning to prevent a Chanticleers go-ahead run in the top of the frame. Then, Gallaher's sacrifice fly pushed North Carolina home for its first walk-off win of the season. 

And part of that win comes from UNC's emphasis on finding a way to string it together. 

North Carolina's mantra is to get it to the next guy. While it’s a simple saying and likely dominates most locker rooms, the Diamond Heels believe it. 

Sure, it means to have a performance that brings the next batter up to plate. But it’s also about not playing the hero. Do what needs to be done, then trust the person behind you to do the same. 

"When it comes to us being that close, [it's] just about believing in your teammates," first-year right-handed pitcher Ryan Lynch said. 

But in the top of the 11th, North Carolina’s first loss of the season looked probable. 

The Chanticleers kept finding ways to get on base. The Tar Heels went three up, three down through the ninth and 10th. They squandered two opportunities to score in the sixth with one out and runners on second and third. UNC fell flat while Coastal Carolina ramped up. 

Coastal Carolina’s Jake Books singled through the left side with two outs in the top of the 11th. On an 0-2 count, left fielder Wells Sykes sent the ball down the right field line. The Chanticleers had a chance to score the go-ahead run. 

As UNC graduate right fielder Tyson Bass fumbled and tripped trying to throw it in, Books rounded third. Bass launched the ball to Van De Brake who sent it home. Stevenson tagged Books out before he reached home. 

Stevenson saw the umpire’s call. He shouted, threw his fist in the air and chest-bumped junior pitcher Cameron Padgett. 

Forbes doesn't like to say much in the middle of games. With this team, he doesn't have to. 

"Our guys, they care," Forbes said. "They want each other to do well."

So, the dugout was mostly quiet. Players reminded each other to pass it to the next guy. Gallaher likes to "shut up and be quiet" to prepare for an at-bat, but he listened to the message.  

Van De Brake stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the frame. He fell behind early before working to a full count. On the seventh pitch of the at-bat, Van De Brake sent a fast ball through right field for a base hit. 

He did what he needed to do. Then came the next player. 

Junior pinch hitter Carter French moved Van De Brake to second with a sacrifice bunt, then he advanced to third on a wild pitch. Junior center fielder Kane Kepley walked. Coastal Carolina intentionally sent Stevenson to first. 

Bases loaded.

"I wanted it," Gallaher said. "I was hoping they were going to [walk Stevenson] because that's the type of situation I love to be in."

Gallaher stepped up. The sacrifice fly came. The Tar Heels walked it off. Players ran out of the dugout and crowded Gallaher, pushing him all the way to left field. 

Forbes and the team celebrated in the locker room together. The head coach said his players found out more about themselves against Coastal Carolina. They listened to their mantra. They brought the next batter up and trusted the one behind them. 

"We talk about, every day, the layer on top of the other," Forbes said. "How you do any thing is how you do everything. And they've stuck with it and completely bought into it."

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@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com

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