No. 12 North Carolina (30-8, 12-7 ACC) out-dueled Virginia Tech (24-14, 9-10 ACC) on Friday night, 9-6, securing game one of three at English Field in Blacksburg, V.A..
Graduate right-handed pitcher Jake Knapp toed the rubber for the Tar Heels. Entering his ninth start of the season, his 1.58 earned run average leads the ACC.
The UNC offense, riding a hot streak with 45 runs over its last four games, kept the momentum going in the top of the first inning. Back-to-back walks and a passed ball put two runners in scoring position for North Carolina. Sophomore catcher Luke Stevenson drove in the game's first run with a sacrifice fly. The Hokies tallied two base hits in response but were unable to plate a run.
After a busy first frame, Knapp and Virginia Tech starting pitcher Brett Renfrow mowed through hitters to post a scoreless second. Sam Tackett broke the drought for the Hokies in the bottom of the third, hitting a two-out solo home run to even the contest 1-1.
The tie only lasted minutes, as Stevenson led off the following frame with an opposite field home run of his own for his team-leading twelfth of the year. The Tar Heels led 2-1 after four innings.
Looking to extend the margin, graduate designated hitter Sam Angelo laced a line drive double with one out in the fifth. Junior left fielder Carter French, making just his sixth start of the season, plated the run with an RBI single to center field. As UNC continued to tack on runs, Knapp continued to keep the Virginia Tech offense at bay. He retired the Hokie hitters in order to maintain the two-run lead.
A two-out seven pitch at bat landed sophomore third baseman Gavin Gallaher on first as Renfrow reached the 100 pitch mark for Virginia Tech. His next offering to graduate first baseman Hunter Stokely landed over the fence, doubling the North Carolina lead with a two-run blast.
Leading 5-1 in the bottom of the sixth, Knapp surrendered a double and a walk that ended his day. First-year righty Walker McDuffie came on in relief with one out, but Hudson Lutterman quickly propelled the Hokies right back into the game, launching a three-run homer to trim the lead to 5-4.
Junior center fielder Kane Kepley joined the offensive burst with a triple to left field, setting up another scoring opportunity for the Tar Heels. Graduate second baseman Jackson Van De Brake cashed in the big hit with a pop-fly single that fell between the Hokie defense, scoring Kepley. With that RBI, all nine UNC starting hitters recorded a base hit. Gallaher tacked on one more, using his second knock of the day to score Van De Brake. North Carolina led 7-4 after seven innings.
