UNC baseball defeats Louisville, 6-4, to split doubleheader

The No. 6 North Carolina baseball team (16-3, 2-3 ACC) defeated Louisville (15-3, 1-1 ACC), 6-4, in the second game of a doubleheader Friday night at Jim Patterson Stadium. 

Behind seven innings, no earned runs and eight strikeouts from graduate pitcher Jake Knapp, the Diamond Heels earned their second conference win of the season and split Friday’s doubleheader. Sophomore third baseman Gavin Gallaher sparked the offense with three hits and three RBIs, including a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning. 

North Carolina started off quick offensively, with junior center fielder Kane Kepley lasering a long line drive that bounced off the wall for his ACC-leading fifth triple of the season. An infield ground out by sophomore catcher Luke Stvevenson scored Kepley, giving the Tar Heels an early 1-0 lead. 

After a ground ball single from Gallaher, graduate first baseman Hunter Stokley smacked a two-run home run over the right field wall, giving North Carolina a three run lead before the Cardinals had an at-bat. 

Knapp orchestrated a 1-2-3 inning, but UNC didn't add onto its lead, leaving two runners in scoring position stranded in the top of the second. 

In the top of the third, with the bases loaded and two outs, junior pinch hitter Carter French lined out to right field.

North Carolina's stout defensive play continued, keeping the Cardinals off the base paths in the bottom of the third. 

Sophomore catcher Luke Stevenson beat out the throw to second base after roping a line drive into right-center field in the fourth inning. But after Stevenson advanced to third, Stokely struck out to end the inning. 

Knapp’s successful outing continued into the fourth, striking out three of the four batters he faced. 

After graduate right fielder Tyson Bass had a two-out walk, first-year left fielder Sawyer Black popped out to center field to end the inning. 

Garret Pike got Louisville’s first hit of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning and stole second to give the Cardinals a runner in scoring position. But a fly out to shallow right field by Tagger Tyson kept Louisville scoreless. 

Kepley advanced to second on a wild pitch after he got the Diamond Heels started in the top of the sixth with a single. After Stevenson struck out, Gahllaher crushed a two-run home run to left center field, extending North Carolina's lead to 5-0. 

Louisville’s Lucas Moore reached base due to a fielding error and stole second. Kepley couldn't make the diving catch in center field, allowing left fielder Zion Rose reach second and advancing Moore to third. The deficit was cut to 5-1 after Matt Klein scored Moore on an infield ground out.

Third baseman Jake Munroe singled, scoring Rose and slicing North Carolina’s lead to three at the end of the sixth inning.  

Both the Tar Heels and Louisville failed to score in the seventh inning. 

After walking, Kepley stole second in the top of the eighth inning. Gallaher chipped a low pop up into left field to score Kepley from second and give the Diamond Heels a 6-2 lead.  

Moore got the eighth inning going for the Cardinals with a line drive double down the third base line. After Bass dropped a routine fly ball, Moore scored from second and an overthrow helped Rose complete a little league home run, making the score 6-4. 

First-year pitcher Ryan Lynch closed out the game in the bottom of the ninth for UNC with two strikeouts. 

The Tar Heels take on Louisville for the final game of the series at 3 p.m. on Sunday, looking to win their first conference series of the season. 

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