No. 21 UNC baseball blanks Miami, 2-0, to take first game of series

The No. 19 North Carolina baseball team (20-6, 5-5 ACC) defeated Miami (14-13, 1-6 ACC), 2-0, on Friday evening at Boshamer Stadium.

Graduate righty Jake Knapp made his second straight Friday night start of the year and made his sixth start of the season after missing all of 2024 with an injury, came into the game with a 1.99 ERA, good for 5th-best in the ACC.

True to form, Knapp started off the game with a thunderous strikeout. After a fly out and another strikeout swinging, the top of the first was over. He would finish the game with a career-high 10 Ks, keeping his undefeated record safe as he moved to 4-0 on the season.

“It’s almost easier to pitch in a game that’s so fast paced, you’re not having to sit,” Knapp said. “I think the approach is a lot better in the box.”

Nothing worked for the Diamond Heels in the bottom of the first. The Hurricanes couldn’t get anything going either, as Knapp collected his third strikeout of the game to keep it 0-0 going into the bottom of the second. A tiptoe catch by the Hurricanes first baseman kept it knotted at zero.

The stout UNC defense continued its run in the top of the third, with senior second baseman Jackson Van De Brake collecting an out at second and rocketing a throw to home plate for an inning ending double play.

Knapp picked off one batter and struck out the next to keep it scoreless for both squads through the middle of the fourth. He tallied his eighth strikeout of the game in the top of the fifth as North Carolina went 1-2-3 to keep Miami scoreless.

“I’ve been in this league a long time and that reminded me of ACC Friday nights,” Forbes said about the two hour and twenty minute match. “Two really good arms, it’s gonna be really hard to score.”

The first hit of the game for the Tar Heels was a fifth inning single off the bat of graduate shortstop Alex Madera. Graduate right fielder Tyson Bass walked and the stage was set. 

Answering the call, a single from graduate designated hitter Sam Angelo brought Madera in and a Van De Brake sacrifice fly allowed Bass to score. It was 2-0 Diamond Heels going into the sixth.

“I tried to stretch it into two [bases] either way,” Angelo said. “If I get thrown out I get thrown out but I played it in my favor a little bit.

Knapp nabbed his career-best tenth strikeout in the top of the seventh as an inning ending out at first kept the Hurricanes, the better hitting team through seven with five to UNC’s two, from scoring. Miami runners were stranded on second and third.  

“I see how hard he works,” Forbes said. “But Jake cares most about winning. It’s amazing to see his development.”

First-year righty Walker McDuffie entered the game in relief of Knapp, logging two Ks in a row to send the Hurricanes back to the dugout.

McDuffie and the Diamond Heels then sent Miami back to the drawing board, closing the game with back-to-back strikeouts and a ground out. McDuffie finished the game with four strikeouts.

UNC will face Miami in game two of the series on Saturday, March 29 at 2 p.m. at Boshamer Stadium.

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