No. 21 North Carolina baseball (21-7, 6-6 ACC) lost to Miami baseball (15-14, 2-7 ACC), 4-2, in the final game of a weekend series Sunday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium.
Miami recorded three runs in the top of the ninth, pushing UNC to a 4-1 deficit heading into the bottom of the frame. The Tar Heels were never able to recover.
UNC started the game off strong after a quick out off a pop fly by Miami’s junior shortstop Jake Ogden. The trend continued, with Miami only managing to make it to second before UNC closed the top of the inning with another catch and out in right field.
Junior centerfielder Kane Kepley took a pitch to the side in North Carolina's first at bat of the day, sending him to first and then third after sophomore catcher Luke Stevenson hit a line drive along the right baseline. Graduate first baseman Hunter Stokely then chipped the ball on the ground in front of Miami’s first-year pitcher AJ Ciscar, taking the out for himself but allowing Kepley to bring it home for the score, ending the inning with the Tar Heels up 1-0.
UNC allowed a double after first-year catcher Evan Taveras hit it parallel to the baseline out to left field, but Miami wasn’t able to capitalize.
With two outs and the bases loaded, it looked like UNC might score when graduate designated hitter Sam Angelo hit a laser over the mound, however the play was stopped short when Ogden caught the ball to send the game into the sixth.
After earning two outs, Miami tied the game off a wild pitch from junior pitcher Matthew Matthijs, tying the game 1-1. North Carolina was once again kept at bay on offense, popping a fly ball for an out and then getting struck out looking twice.
Miami made it to second in the seventh but couldn’t find home. The Tar Heels mirrored that performance, hitting three quick outs and ringing in the eighth
After a scoreless eighth inning for the Hurricanes, North Carolina was up at bat with a chance to go up. Three fly balls later, however, the score remained even at 1-1 going into the ninth.
