No. 6 UNC baseball drops second consecutive ACC series after 5-0 loss to Louisville

The No. 6 North Carolina baseball team (16-4, 2-4 ACC) lost, 5-0, to Louisville (16-3, 2-1 ACC) on Sunday afternoon at Jim Patterson Stadium. 

Despite senior starting pitcher Aidan Haugh only allowing one earned run and one hit, the Diamond Heels dropped their second straight ACC series to open the season. The bats never got going for UNC, only recording one hit and striking out eight times. 

An early drive into center field by Louisville's Lucas Moore and an infield single due to a throwing error gave the Cardinals two early base runners in the bottom of the first. Another throwing error on a pick-off attempt from Haugh advanced both runners into scoring position. 

The bases were loaded after Haugh walked Jake Munroe, leading to Garret Pike grounding into a fielder’s choice to score Moore and give the Cardinals an early 1-0 lead. 

Both graduate shortstop Alex Madera and graduate right fielder Tyson Bass were walked to give UNC two base runners in the top of the second. 

But Louisville's starting pitcher Peter Michael fought back, striking out both first-year left fielder Sawyer Black and junior designated hitter Rom Kellis V to leave Madera and Bass stranded.

Haugh forced two ground outs and a fly out for a 1-2-3 inning for the Tar Heels. 

Michael responded, forcing three fly outs from the top of UNC’s lineup. 

The pitching duel continued with Haugh orchestrating another inning with no Louisville base runners. 

Senior second baseman Jackson Van De Brake was robbed of a hit when Munroe made a diving catch at the hot corner, helping Louisville maintain a one run lead. 

A Cardinals ground out marked Haugh’s 10th straight out, quickly ending the bottom of the fourth inning. 

The out streak ended when Haugh hit Kamau Neighbors with a pitch. Neighbors stole second on an overthrow by sophomore catcher Luke Stevenson in the attempt to throw him out. A ground out ended the inning though, stonewalling Louisville’s bid to extend their lead. 

A sixth inning leadoff walk from Stevenson gave UNC hope, but a double play and fly out ended North Carolina’s chances of tying up the game. A two out walk was the only runner Haugh conceded in the bottom of the sixth inning, keeping the Cardinals off the board for the fifth straight inning. 

Madera got the seventh inning started with a four pitch walk. UNC’s first hit came when Bass roped a fastball to the left field fence, advancing Madera to third and putting two Tar Heels in scoring position. 

The Cardinals turned to pitcher Wyatt Danilowicz, who got out of the jam with a three pitch strikeout. 

A second hit batter and walk ended Haugh’s day, making way for sophomore pitcher Folger Boaz. Tagger Tyson launched a fly ball to right field that was misread by Bass, bouncing off the wall for a double and scoring one to extend the Cardinals lead to 2-0. 

Danilowicz continued the Diamond Heels' scoreless drought, forcing a fly out from sophomore third baseman Gavin Gallaher to end the top of the eighth. 

First-year pitcher Ryan Lynch came in and allowed a single to Zion Rose. The next batter, Matt Klein, doubled down the third base line to score Rose and increase the Cardinal lead to three. 

Munroe continued the offensive production, nailing a hit off the first-year left fielder Perry Hargett’s glove near the wall to score Klein. A sacrifice fly scored Munroe to give Louisville a 5-0 lead. 

North Carolina failed to produce a base runner in the top of the ninth to end their chances at a comeback. 

The Tar Heels look to bounce back against UConn on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Boshamer Stadium. 

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