'That was the killer': Fifth inning dooms UNC baseball in first loss of season

Jason DeCaro came back out of the North Carolina dugout for the fifth inning. 

The sophomore right-handed pitcher already gave up a career-high in runs. Head coach Scott Forbes said his ace wasn’t sharp and lacked his normal command. But he still trusted DeCaro to work through the struggles with the game freshly tied at six after UNC scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth. 

“I felt really good,” Forbes said. “I’m like, ‘OK, Jason is just Jason. He’s gonna go back out there. He’s gonna have a 1-2-3 inning.’”

DeCaro got the first player of the inning on a ground ball to third. Then he hung a curveball, and Stanford’s Jimmy Nati didn’t miss it. He hit it over the maintenance building beyond the left-field wall. The big fly started the big inning for the Cardinal — one that doomed the Tar Heels on Friday night at Boshamer Stadium. 

“We give up a six spot,” Forbes said. “That inning was the one that was the killer.”

The Tar Heels lost to Stanford, 13-9, in game one of a three-game set to open ACC play in Boshamer Stadium. DeCaro — who entered the day 3-0 with a 0.50 ERA, 0.72 WHIP and .145 BAA over three starts this season — was charged with the loss. He went four and a third, allowing eight runs on seven hits with three walks. Two Stanford home runs and a crucial defensive mistake cost the Tar Heels in the fifth inning and proved too much to overcome. 

The result led to UNC’s first loss of the 2025 season. 13-0 was North Carolina's best start since 2013. 

“Obviously not happy,” senior second baseman Jackson Van De Brake said. “Didn’t play our best ball, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.”

UNC started Friday’s game well. DeCaro pitched a perfect first inning, his last six pitches were strikes, resulting in two punch outs. The Tar Heels took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the inning. 

The Cardinal hit DeCaro for six runs over the three subsequent innings. But a two-RBI single off the bat of sophomore third baseman Gavin Gallaher tied the game in the bottom of the fourth.

Forbes decided to stay with his ace. Then, the mammoth solo homer gave Stanford the lead for good. The next batter singled, and Forbes ambled out to the mound. He called on his first-year flamethrower, righty Ryan Lynch.

With one out and a runner on first, Lynch induced a comeback. It led to a potential pitcher’s best friend and a chance at an inning-ending double play. At the very least one easy out. 

Lynch turned toward second and threw low and wide. Error. Everyone was safe. 

After a flyout — which would have ended the inning if not for the error — Lynch walked a batter and hit another to force in a run. 

“Lynch just didn’t have command today,” Forbes said. “So we had to make a change.”

Forbes believes the best lefty in his bullpen is sophomore Folger Boaz. He wanted to give Boaz an extra day of rest, so he instead went to junior southpaw Kyle Percival with the bases loaded and two outs. Forbes said Percival had a great preseason. He struggled through his first four appearances, allowing nine runs over five innings. 

On the second pitch Percival threw, designated hitter Brandon Larson hit a towering shot out of the ballpark to right-center for a grand slam. 

Pitching has been a strength for UNC in the early season. But on Friday, Forbes said many off-speed offerings were non-competitive out of the hand. 

“We made a lot of mistakes.”

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com