UNC loses pitchers’ duel with Gamecocks 2-1

R.L. Bynum

By R.L. Bynum

In a pitchers’ duel where big hits were scarce, South Carolina got just enough to pull out a 2–1 victory over No. 13 North Carolina at Truist Field in Charlotte on Tuesday night.

The Gamecocks (23–10) beat UNC for the fourth time in the last five meetings as designated hitter Alberto Osuna (2 of 4 with a double) was the only Tar Heel with multiple hits.

After UNC (26–7) had tied it in the seventh inning, center fielder Dylan Brewer hit a one-out RBI double to center fielder off reliever Mathew Matthijs (loser, 11–2) for the game-winner.

Carolina pitchers combined for 16 strikeouts and scattered 10 hits. Most impressive was right-hander Aiden Haugh, who gave up three hits in three shutout innings with a career-high seven strikeouts.

South Carolina turned three double plays in the first four innings, the fourth getting the Gamecocks out of a bases-loaded jam. South Carolina starter Dylan Eskew gave up four hits in 3⅓ innings with two walks and a strikeout.

The Gamecocks’ three relievers combined to give up two hits and one run in 5⅔ innings with 11 strikeouts. Right-hander Connor McCreery (winner, 2–0) gave up one hit, no walks and struck out five in pitching the last 2⅓ innings.

UNC starting left-hander Folger Boaz came out with the bases loaded and one out in the third inning after pointing to his left arm. He got attention from the athletic trainer and came out after throwing only 34 pitches. After two singles and a walk, South Carolina scored on a groundout off reliever Dalton Pence, who got a strikeout to get out of the inning.

Haugh relieved Pence to start the fifth and gave up a walk and a single to start the inning. But he struck out three straight Gamecocks to get out of the inning.

Gavin Gallaher drew a one-out walk in the seventh inning and scored on Colby Wilkerson’s two-out double down the right-field line to tie it.

NOTES — Carolina plays at home for the first time since March 28 when it welcomes Notre Dame for a three-game weekend series starting at 6 p.m. Friday (all three games stream on ESPN3). The Irish (14–15, 2–13 ACC) have lost their last seven. N.C. State swept them in a road series March 28–30, and Clemson swept them in a home series last weekend.  … Freshman right-hander Jason DeCaro (1–1, 4.20 ERA), who has been the No. 2 starter, will start in Friday’s 6 p.m. opener against the Irish. Junior left-hander Shea Sprague (1–1, 4.22 ERA) will start Saturday’s 2 p.m. game, and Boaz is scheduled to start in the Sunday 1 p.m. finale. … UNC leads the all-time series with South Carolina 68–39.

South Carolina 2, No. 13 UNC 1

ACC standings

Coastal DivisionLeagueOverall
No. 12 North Carolina17–733–11
No. 11 Virginia14–1033–12
No. 10 Duke14–1030–14
Virginia Tech13–1127–14
Georgia Tech11–1027–15
Miami8–1619–24
Pittsburgh5–1618–22
Atlantic DivisionLeagueOverall
No. 4 Clemson15–634–9
No. 7 Florida State13–834–9
No. 21 N.C. State12–925–16
No. 13 Wake Forest12–1227–16
Louisville10–1125–18
Boston College8–1621–21
Notre Dame7–1722–20

(Unless otherwise indicated, games only stream on ESPN3)
Sunday’s results
Virginia Tech 4, No. 12 North Carolina 3
Notre Dame 8, No. 13 Wake Forest 7
No. 10 Duke 16, No. 7 Florida State 4
Georgia Tech 17, Miami 1
Pittsburgh 5, Bryant 2
No. 20 N.C. State 9, Ball State 3
No. 4 Clemson 17, Louisville 7
Tuesday’s games
UMass Lowell at Boston College, 3 p.m.
UNCW at No. 20 N.C. State, 5 p.m.
Northern Kentucky at Louisville, 6 p.m.
No. 13 Wake Forest vs. Appalachian State in Shelby, 6 p.m.
West Virginia at Pittsburgh, 6 p.m.
No. 11 Virginia at VCU, 6:30
Charlotte at No. 12 North Carolina, 7 p.m.. ACC Network
Wednesday’s games
William & Mary at No. 12 North Carolina, 6 p.m.
No. 13 Wake Forest at High Point, 6 p.m.
Navy at No. 11 Virginia, 6 p.m.
N.C. A&T at Virginia Tech, 7 p.m.

DateDay/
month		Time/
score		Opponent/event
(current ranks)		TV/
record
February
16FridayW, 10–3vs. Wagner1–0
17SaturdayW, 16–5vs. Wagner2–0
18SundayW, 20–6vs. Wagner3–0
20TuesdayW, 8–7vs. Elon4–0
23FridayW, 2–1vs. No. 5 East Carolina5–0
24SaturdayL, 7–4vs. No. 5 East Carolina
in Fayetteville		5–1
25SundayL, 10–9at No. 5 East Carolina5–2
27TuesdayW, 8–2vs. VCU6–2
28WednesdayW, 12–3vs. Longwood7–2
March
1FridayW, 12–2vs. Princeton8–2
2SaturdayW, 11–2vs. Princeton9–2
3SundayW, 13–6vs. Princeton10–2
5TuesdayW, 7–3at Campbell11–2
8FridayW, 2–1vs. Pittsburgh12–2,
1–0 ACC
9SaturdayW, 7–3vs. Pittsburgh13–2,
2–0 ACC
10SundayW, 6–5,
10 innings		vs. Pittsburgh14–2,
3–0 ACC
12TuesdayW, 13–7vs. Rutgers15–2
13WednesdayW, 9–8vs. Rutgers16–2
15FridayL, 14–1at Miami16–3,
3–1 ACC
16SaturdayL, 2–1at Miami16–4,
3–2 ACC
17SundayW, 18–6at Miami17–4,
4–2 ACC
19TuesdayW, 11–0,
7 innings		vs. UNCW18–4
22FridayW, 5–4vs. Georgia Tech19–4,
5–2 ACC
23SaturdayW, 11–5vs. Georgia Tech20–4,
6–2 ACC
24SundayW, 9–2vs. Georgia Tech21–4,
7–2 ACC
26TuesdayW, 10–8vs. N.C. A&T22–4
29FridayW, 6–5at No. 13 Wake Forest23–4,
8–2 ACC
30SaturdayW, 10–6at No. 13 Wake Forest24–4,
9–2 ACC
31SundayW, 14–10at No. 13 Wake Forest25–4,
10–2 ACC
April
4ThursdayL, 14–11at No. 11 Virginia25–5,
10–3 ACC
5FridayL, 7–2at No. 11 Virginia25–6,
10–4 ACC
6SaturdayW, 12–7at No. 11 Virginia26–6,
11–4 ACC
9TuesdayL, 2–1vs. No. 15 South Carolina
in Charlotte		26–7
12FridayW, 13–0,
6½ innings		vs. Notre Dame27–7,
12–4 ACC
13SaturdayW, 7–2vs. Notre Dame28–7,
13–4 ACC
14SundayW, 10–3vs. Notre Dame29–7,
14–4 ACC
16TuesdayL, 5–4vs. Coastal Carolina29–8
18ThursdayL, 9–8at No. 20 N.C. State29–9,
14–5 ACC
19FridayL, 5–4at No. 20 N.C. State29–10,
14–6 ACC
20SaturdayW, 14–3at No. 20 N.C. State30–10,
15–6 ACC
23TuesdayW, 5–2vs. Gardner-Webb31–10
26FridayW, 8–1vs. Virginia Tech32–10,
16–6 ACC
27SaturdayW, 6–3vs. Virginia Tech33–10,
17–6 ACC
28SundayL, 4–3vs. Virginia Tech33–11,
17–7 ACC
30Tuesday7 p.m.vs. CharlotteACCN
May
1Wednesday6 p.m.vs. William & MaryESPN3
7Tuesday6 p.m.vs. CampbellESPN3
10Friday6 p.m.vs. LouisvilleESPN3
11Saturday2 p.m.vs. LouisvilleESPN3
12Sunday1 p.m.vs. LouisvilleACCN
14Tuesday6 p.m.at UNCWFloSports
16Thursday6 p.m.at No. 10 DukeACCN
17Friday6 p.m.at No. 10 DukeESPN3
18Saturday1 p.m.at No. 10 DukeESPN3
21–26Tuesday-
Sunday		TBAACC tournament
in Charlotte		ACCN
31FridayTBANCAA RegionalTBA
June
1–3Saturday-
Monday		TBANCAA RegionalTBA
7–10Friday-
Monday		TBANCAA Super RegionalTBA
14–24Friday-
Monday		TBACollege World Series
in Omaha, Neb.		TBA

Photo via @GamecockBasebll

Published by R.L. Bynum

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