No. 19 UNC baseball mercy-rules Gardner-Webb, 11-1, thanks to productive sixth inning

The No. 19 North Carolina baseball team (22-7, ACC 6-6) defeated the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs (14-16), 11-1, at Boshamer Stadium on Tuesday evening.

In a huge sixth inning, UNC found its offensive consistency as it escaped the Bulldogs going into its weekend series against arch-rivals the Duke Blue Devils.  

To begin the night, the Diamond Heels defense started in the right place. In his third start of the season, sophomore pitcher Folger Boaz kept the Bulldogs to three at-bats with two strikeouts and a ground out. 

The Bulldogs would come out to match UNC’s defensive pace, logging a narrow out on a lead-off bunt from junior center fielder Kane Kepley. Gardner Webb kept the game scoreless with two more quick outs. 

Two errors during the top of the second from the North Carolina defense allowed the Bulldog hitters to grab the first run of the game, 1-0. 

Two fly outs to start the bottom of the first was all Gardner-Webb needed to make sure a single and stolen base from the graduate short-stop Alex Madera didn’t turn into a run after they notched their third fly out to keep the Bulldogs’ lead. 

On the mound after the error-plagued second inning, Boaz kept his composure. He led the Tar Heels to close out the top of the third with the defense putting up a ground out and two more strikeouts. 

“I thought Folger was outstanding," head coach Scott Forbes said. "He needed that. I thought he was under control. I thought he had command of all his pitches."

In the top of the third, North Carolina found its offensive stride. An error by the Bulldogs’ first baseman allowed sophomore catcher Luke Stevenson to get to first, and a home run by senior first baseman Hunter Stokely put the Tar Heels up two runs to take their first lead of the game.

“If you don't make a play here or there, and you face a really good team, they're going to capitalize on it,” Forbes said. 

A pitching change to sophomore Olin Johnson didn’t stop the North Carolina defensive momentum, putting up three quick outs to keep their one-run lead. 

Gardner-Webb would follow suit, putting up three outs on four hitters to send the game into the fifth inning. 

The sophomore pitchers remained reliable for the Tar Heels, with Johnson putting up his second strikeout and a groundout and fly out to follow. 

Two strikeouts and a line-out left the UNC offense scoreless in the sixth inning with their only at-base coming from a walk.

After three scoreless innings, the North Carolina defensive showing continued. Three quick outs sent the Tar Heels into the bottom of the sixth looking to increase their lead.

And they would do just that. A huge rally in the sixth inning would give the Diamond Heels ten runs. A single by graduate right fielder Tyson Bass was all UNC needed to begin its offensive run.

The loaded inning for the Tar Heels included a home run by the graduate designated hitter Sam Angelo that brought in two runs and two Bulldog errors — one while bases loaded —creating a window for North Carolina to end the inning with a lead of 11-1. 

The Diamond Heels quickly recorded enough outs to end the game on a mercy rule. 

North Carolina returns to action on Thursday at 7 p.m. against Duke at Boshamer Stadium. 

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