No. 16 UNC baseball beats Elon, 12-10, behind four home runs

No. 16 North Carolina baseball (25-8, 8-7 ACC) took the trip down I-40 and defeated Elon (11-21, 3-6 CAA), 12-10, in a barn-burner at Latham Park.

Multi-home run games from sophomore third baseman Gavin Gallaher and graduate right fielder Tyler Bass gave the Tar Heels the edge over the Phoenix. First-year pitcher Ryan Lynch threw a career high six strikeouts, highlighting a rather lackluster performance from the UNC bullpen.

Elon opened the scoring in the bottom of the second, with a sacrifice fly to deep left field. With a full count and two outs, a hard hit line drive brought in a runner from first base to make it a two run lead.

Lynch entered for North Carolina in the third. After retiring the first two batters, back-to-back singles had the Phoenix threatening, but Lynch caught Elon’s Vince Fattore looking to get out of the inning.

Sophomore catcher Luke Stevenson started the fourth inning with his second double of the game. Graduate first baseman Hunter Stokely cashed in with his ground out to first bringing the catcher home for UNC's first run.

Elon righty Hudson Narke entered in the fifth inning, taking down the bottom of the UNC lineup in order. Lynch responded in the bottom half, striking out the side.

A walk and a single put runners on the corners with no outs for UNC in the top of the sixth. Stevenson popped out, but Bass worked a walk to load the bases for Stokely. The Tar Heel first baseman hit a ground ball to second base that was bobbled, forcing a fielder's choice at second that brought junior center fielder Kane Kepley home for the game’s tying run.

After an Elon call to the bullpen, Gallaher’s extra practice swings paid off. A 1-1 high fastball was decisively over the left-center field wall for a three run home run, giving North Carolina a three run lead.

With two runners on in the bottom of the sixth, a double to left field off the first pitch brought a runner in and ended the outing for Lynch. Graduate righty Cale Bolton threw just four pitches, walking his batter and was eventually replaced by first-year righty Camron Seagraves.

A walk with bases loaded made it a one run game. What looked like a routine ground ball up the middle to end the inning turned into a throwing error to first, bringing two Phoenix home for an Elon lead. Followed by a two-out double that grazed the right field line and a bases-loaded grounder through the infield, the Phoenix lead was up to four. A diving catch in right field from Bass stopped any further bleeding, ending a rough sixth inning for the UNC defense. 

With two outs in the top of the seventh, Stevenson was intentionally walked to load the bases. With one swing of Bass’ bat, the game was tied. 

Suddenly, the momentum was with North Carolina. With Stokely on first, Gallaher sent a rocket over the left field wall for his second dinger of the day, putting the Tar Heels up two.

Sophomore righty Olin Johnson appeared to be the remedy to the UNC pitching woes, retiring five straight batters in the seventh and eighth innings before conceding a two-out solo homer. A backwards K brought the Tar Heels into the final inning up one.

With UNC needing a cushion, Bass opened the ninth with a solo shot over the center field wall. 

Graduate lefty Tom Chmielewski was called in to finish the job for the Tar Heels, going 1-2-3 to seal the win.

North Carolina returns to conference play on Thursday when it hosts Wake Forest at Boshamer Stadium at 7 pm.

@dylanstalterr

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