No. 16 UNC baseball dominates Wake Forest, 17-1, to clinch series win in game two

No. 16 North Carolina (27-8, 10-7 ACC) defeated Wake Forest (24-12, 9-8 ACC), 17-1, clinching the weekend series in the second game on Saturday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium. 

Seven Tar Heels scored more runs than the Demon Deacons' squad in the blowout win for North Carolina.

After a scoreless start for Wake Forest and one out on the board for the Tar Heels, senior second baseman Jackson Van De Brake set the tone early with a home run to left field. North Carolina was set up to score once again when both sophomore catcher Luke Stevenson and graduate right fielder Tyson Bass were walked by Wake Forest’s Junior pitcher Logan Lunceford. After another out, sophomore third baseman Gavin Gallaher delivered, singling to left field and sending Stevenson home, ending the inning with a 2-0 UNC advantage. 

“Hitting is contagious”, head coach Scott Forbes said. “I think these guys got to a point too where they just stopped chasing batting average and they said, ‘OK, we’re at the point of the season where all we care about is winning as a team.’”

At the top of the second, the Demon Deacons began to set up a chance to score when Dalton Wentz singled to left field and Matt Scannell walked, advancing Wentz to second. However, senior pitcher Aidan Haugh shut it down, striking out two batters in a row and ushering the Tar Heels to the bottom of the second. 

The Tar Heels continued to score, with Van De Brake sending junior left fielder Carter French home off a single up the middle. Stevenson doubled to right field to allow Van De Brake to find home, followed by Bass doubling down the left field line, letting Stevenson add another to the board. North Carolina exited the second inning up 5-0. 

At the bottom of the third, Gallaher delivered yet again, sending a bomb out to left field and scoring his second home run of the series to give North Carolina a 6-0 lead.

With runners at first and second, French sacrificed an out to allow first-year designated hitter Perry Hargett to advance to second and graduate shortstop Alex Madera to claim third. Junior center fielder Kane Kepley then grounded out to first, but not before allowing Madera to sneak past Wake Forest catcher Jimmy Keenan and find home. Hargett followed suit, thanks to a Van De Brake single, to put the Tar Heels up 8-0. 

The Deacons managed to put one on the board at the top of the fourth when Dalton Wentz homered out to right field, setting the score at 8-1.

The bases were loaded when French stepped up to bat at the bottom of the fourth. After two pitches, he delivered, singling. He then advanced to second on the throw, allowing both Gallaher and Stokely to earn runs, to increase the lead to 10-1. Three walks later, the Tar Heels were up 13-1 and Wake Forest made a change at the mound. The Demon Deacons closed the inning with pitcher Rhys Bowie striking Stokely out swinging. Gallaher then hit a fly out to right field. 

“It’s exciting to be able to get out there and have the opportunity to do it,” said French. “I just try to stay focused and make sure I’m having a good time."

After two singles and a walk, Wake Forest had a chance to score with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth. Van De Brake had other plans, however, making quick work of a ground out to second and bringing the game into the bottom of the inning.

Kepley started the Tar Heels’ at-bat with his first hit of the game, singling to right field. Shortly after, both Stevenson and Bass walked, loading the bases.

The Tar Heels extended the lead to 14-1 after Stokely was plunked.

After gaining a strike, Gallaher singled to center field, sending junior pinch runner Rom Kellis home. This was quickly followed by first-year pinch hitter Lee Sowers reaching first on a fielder’s choice, sending Stokely home to further UNC's advantage to 17-1. 

North Carolina looks to sweep the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Boshamer Stadium.

@CalebSchalliol

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