By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — No. 3 North Carolina combined power and pitching to win the opener of its showdown series with No. 2 Georgia Tech with relative ease.
The Tar Heels tied their season-high with three home runs to back outstanding pitching from birthday boy Jason DeCaro, Caden Glauber and Walker McDuffie in a 6–2 victory Friday before a raucous crowd of 4,357 at Boshamer Stadium.
It was an electric atmosphere typical of a Super Regional game. Fans were packed behind the right-field wall, at the top of Karen Shelton Stadium and even at the top of that stadium’s scoreboard on a platform.
“Just want to give a shout out to our fans,” Coach Scott Forbes said. “Excited that they showed up like they did. That helps our guys tremendously. Playing at home should matter.”
They all saw the Tar Heels (32–6–1, 14–5) put on a show, holding the Yellow Jackets (31–5, 15–4) to a season-low run total to end the nation’s longest win streak at 13, getting homers from Macon Winslow, Colin Hynek and Eric Paulsen.
UNC held two Jackets expected to be picked in the top 10 of the MLB draft this year — center fielder Drew Burress (0 for 5) and catcher Vahn Lackey (0 for 4) — without a hit.
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DeCaro (6–2), a junior who turned 20, scattered five hits over 5+ innings, striking out four and giving up two walks and one run. Forbes said it was the version of his right-hander UNC needed.
“The story of the game was Jason DeCaro,” Forbes said. “That’s the Jason DeCaro we’re used to seeing. It’s his birthday today, which made it even better.”
DeCaro said the fix after a rough outing a week earlier at Clemson was more mindset than mechanics, even with recent work on his delivery.
“This week, [pitching] Coach [Bryant] Gaines said, ‘I want you to go in there and compete,’ ” DeCaro said. “It’s a little hard when there’s not a batter in the box, but trying to simulate that game feel and really go after guys. I think we did a really good job with that, establishing the game plan early that we were just going to go after them and challenge them.”
Glauber (left photo), a freshman right-hander, was magnificent again, showing nerves of steel in getting out of a bases-loaded eighth-inning jam. He pitched around three walks and a hit and gave up one run with two strikeouts in three innings. McDuffie (bottom photo) closed the door again, getting his third save, retiring the Jackets in order with one strikeout in the ninth inning.
Forbes credited the staff’s collective conviction after learning a lesson when the Tar Heels lost two of three to Virginia in early March.
“We learned from Virginia. We nibbled like crazy,” he said. “We want to be known for being aggressive. … I tell our pitchers, you have to pitch with the foot on the gas.”
UNC jumped on Georgia Tech starter Tate McKee for six runs in 2⅓ innings, the second-most runs he’s given up this season. The Heels consistently got hard contact on both good pitches and mistakes over the plate.
Jake Schaffner led off the first inning with a double to left-center on his way to three hits, scoring on Owen Hull’s groundout. Winslow hammered a 367-foot shot into the netting behind right-center field for a three-run homer.
“It’s always great to win a Friday one, especially against the No. 2 team in the nation,” Schaffner said. “All the guys really stuck to their approach, and it was great seeing that come to life in the game.”
Leadoff home runs in the second inning by Hynek and in the third inning by Paulsen shot the lead to 6–0, and Schaffner said the plan against McKee was clear from the start.
“He’s a sinker-baller, so we were trying to see him up,” Schaffner said, adding that the team knew that a lot of pitches would sink. “With two strikes, he’ll try to beat you low, because that’s where he gets a lot of swing-and-miss. So, just see him up and try to hit line drives and fly balls.”
DeCaro didn’t give up a hit until Caleb Daniel’s leadoff single in the fourth inning, when Lackey hit into an inning-ending double play in a five-pitch inning. When the Jackets finally got a runner past second base, with two runners in scoring position with two outs in the fourth inning, DeCaro fanned Ryan Zuckerman and Will Baker on off-speed pitches to escape the jam.
Those moments mattered most against a lineup loaded with power, and DeCaro said the approach stayed simple.
“Especially as a pitcher, it’s fun. It’s one-on-one out there, just going after them with your best stuff,” he said. “They are a good offense, they have really good numbers, but believing that when I’m at my best, I can beat anyone.”
DeCaro gave way to Glauber after giving up a single and a double to start the sixth inning. After giving up a sacrifice fly to Kent Schmidt, Glauber struck out Zuckerman and induced an inning-ending fly out.
Glauber put runners at second and third with two outs after walking Schmidt in an 11-pitch at-bat. Zuckerman then delivered an RBI single on a 1–2 pitch through the left side of the infield. After a walk loaded the bases, Glauber got Carson Kerce to fly out to end the threat, and Forbes said the freshman’s poise never wavered. Several times beforehand, he was a strike away from getting out of the inning.
“It didn’t surprise me that he didn’t give in right there,” Forbes said. “Not many freshmen can do that. He’s competitive, he’s tough, and he makes big pitches.”
Schaffner said the stadium helped UNC finish off the biggest moments, especially late.
“Unbelievable. It’s the best crowd I’ve ever played with and for,” he said. “They were so loud in the ninth inning. It was amazing.”
DeCaro felt it, too, calling it the best regular-season atmosphere he has experienced at the Bosh.
“That’s the best crowd I’ve seen here in a regular season game, for sure,” he said. “They were in the game pretty much the whole game, and it’s hard not to get a little extra juice when you’re playing the No. 2 team in the country.”
Forbes, though, quickly turned the page to Saturday’s early first pitch.
“It’s a short turnaround,” he said. “You learn from this game. You don’t get too high and you don’t get too low. We’ll be ready to play at 12 o’clock [Saturday], and hopefully have another great crowd.”
Notes
— Game 2 is at noon Saturday, with Georgia Tech junior right-hander Porter Buursema (0–1, 3.44 ERA) facing UNC sophomore right-hander Ryan Lynch (2–3, 4.41 ERA). In Sunday’s 1 p.m. series finale, Yellow Jackets sophomore right-hander Jackson Blakely (5–1, 2.34 ERA) opposes Tar Heels junior left-hander Folger Boaz (3–0, 6.10 ERA). Both games air on the ACC Network.
— The attendance was the highest for a home regular-season game in program history.
— It was a home win over the highest-ranked opponent since UNC swept No. 1 Virginia in May 2011.
— Paulsen’s home run was his first since March 15 at Cal, and his first HR at the Bosh since Feb. 28.
— UNC hit three homers in a game for the fourth time, earlier doing it Feb. 25 against VCU, March 15 at Cal and March 28 at Notre Dame. The Tar Heels have hit four home runs in one day, but that was when they hit two in each game of a March 7 doubleheader against Virginia.
— Tech reliever Justin Shadek, who threw a 100-mph fastball in the fourth inning, struck out three in 2⅔ shutout innings.
— Georgia Tech’s previous season-low run total came in its 3–1 home win over N.C. State on March 27.
— UNC snapped a four-game losing streak against Georgia Tech, but still trails the all-time series 83–77.
— Georgia Tech failed to rally from a 3–0 deficit after doing it three times during its 13-game win streak, against Auburn (13–3 final), Florida State (8–3) and Georgia Southern (13–9).
— Carolina men’s basketball coach Michael Malone took a break from making pitches to transfer-portal recruits to throw the ceremonial first pitch before the game.
No. 3 UNC 5, No. 2 Ga. Tech 2
ACC standings
| League | GB | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 3 Georgia Tech | 25–5 | — | 45–9 |
| No. 2 North Carolina | 22–8 | 3 | 43–10–1 |
| No. 11 Florida State | 19–11 | 6 | 38–15 |
| No. 23 Boston College | 17–13 | 8 | 36–20 |
| Wake Forest | 16–14 | 9 | 38–18 |
| Miami | 16–14 | 9 | 36–17 |
| Virginia Tech | 15–15 | 10 | 29–23 |
| Virginia | 14–16 | 11 | 35–20 |
| N.C. State | 14–16 | 11 | 32–21 |
| Stanford | 13–17 | 12 | 27–25 |
| Notre Dame | 13–17 | 12 | 30–21 |
| Louisville | 13–17 | 12 | 30–26 |
| California | 12–18 | 13 | 29–25 |
| Pittsburgh | 11–19 | 14 | 30–23 |
| Clemson | 10–20 | 15 | 31–25 |
| Duke | 10–20 | 15 | 24–29 |
Thursday-Saturday series
Notre Dame at Pittsburgh — Pitt, 6–3; ND, 6–4; ND, 21–10 (7)
Virginia at Louisville — Va., 8–3; UL, 12–2; UL, 10–5
Miami at No. 11 Florida State — FSU, 7–6 (11); FSU, 11–1; Miami, 7–4
Wake Forest at Duke — WF, 7–2; WF, 7–2; Duke, 7–3
Clemson at Virginia Tech — VT, 5–1; VT, 2–1; Clemson, 10–7
No. 3 Georgia Tech at No. 23 Boston College — GT swept 9–0, 14–1, 15–2 (7)
No. 2 North Carolina at N.C. State — UNC, 9–4; UNC, 17–7 (8); State, 7–2
Stanford at California — Stanford, 7–6; Cal, 4–3; Cal, 2–1
End of regular season
ACC tournament
Tuesday through May 24
Truist Field in Charlotte
| Date(s) | Day/ month | Times/ scores | Opponent (current rank) | Record/ TV * |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February | ||||
| 13–14 | Fri., Sat. | W, 9–4; W, 12–2 (7); W, 4–3 (11) | vs. Indiana | 3–0 |
| 17 | Tuesday | W, 10–0 (7) | vs. Richmond | 4–0 |
| 18 | Wednesday | W, 5–3 | vs. Longwood | 5–0 |
| 20–22 | Fri.-Sun | W, 10–0 (8); L, 10–3; T, 3–3 | vs. East Carolina | 6–1–1 |
| 24 | Tuesday | W, 9–1 | vs. N.C. A&T | 7–1–1 |
| 25 | Wednesday | W, 13–3 (7) | vs. VCU | 8–1–1 |
| 27–28 | Fri., Sat. | W, 16–3 (7); W, 12–2 (7) | vs. Le Moyne | 10–1–1 |
| March | ||||
| 1 | Sunday | W, 21–1 (7) | vs. Le Moyne | 11–1–1 |
| 3 | Tuesday | W, 5–1 | vs. Elon | 12–1–1 |
| 6–7 | Fri., Sat | L, 13–3 (7); L, 9–2; W, 8–7 (12) | vs. Virginia | 13–3–1, 1–2 ACC |
| 10 | Tuesday | W, 13–3 (7) | vs. Bucknell | 14–3–1 |
| 13–15 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 8–1; W, 6–2; W, 10–2 | at California | 17–3–1, 4–2 |
| 18 | Wednesday | W, 8–2 | vs. UNCG | 18–3–1 |
| 20–22 | Fri.–Sun. | W, 11–1 (8); L, 2–0; W, 7–6 | vs. Louisville | 20–4–1, 6–3 |
| 24 | Tuesday | W, 9–1 | vs. South Carolina in Charlotte | 21–4–1 |
| 28, 29 | Sat., Sun | W, 6–5; W, 13–7; W, 15–10 | at Notre Dame | 24–4–1, 9–3 |
| 31 | Tuesday | W, 5–4 (14) | vs. Campbell | 25–4–1 |
| April | ||||
| 2–4 | Thur.-Sat. | L, 6–1; W, 5–2; W, 8–7 | vs. Boston College | 27–5–1, 11–4 |
| 7 | Tuesday | W, 8–4 | vs. Charlotte | 28–5–1 |
| 10–12 | Fri.–Sun. | L, 9–5; W, 6–4 (14); W, 12–5 | at Clemson | 30–6–1, 13–5 |
| 14 | Tuesday | W, 14–5 | vs. UNCW | 31–6–1 |
| 17–19 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 5–2; W, 14–4 (8); L, 5–2 | vs. No. 2 Georgia Tech | 33–7–1, 15–6 |
| 21 | Tuesday | W, 9–2 | vs. High Point | 34–7–1 |
| 23–25 | Thur.–Sat. | W, 3–1; L, 3–1; W, 22–5 (7) | at Duke | 36–8–1, 17–7 |
| 28 | Tuesday | L, 12–2 | vs. Coastal Carolina | 36–9–1 |
| May | ||||
| 3 | Sunday | W, 13–0 (7) (non-conference game) | vs. Duke | 37–9–1 |
| 8–10 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 4–1; W, 12–2 (8); W, 7–3 | vs. Pittsburgh | 40–9–1, 20–7 |
| 12 | Tuesday | W, 13–7 | at UNCW | 41–9–1 |
| 14–16 | Thur.-Sat. | W, 9–4; W, 17–7 (8); L, 7–2 | at N.C. State | 43–10–1, 22–8 |
| ACC tournament | Charlotte | |||
| 22 | Friday | W, 10–4 | Quarterfinal vs. Virginia Tech | 44–10–1 |
| 23 | Saturday | W, 13–5 | Semifinal vs. Pittsburgh | 45–10–1 |
| 24 | Sunday | L, 13–6 | Championship vs. No. 2 Ga. Tech | 45–11–1 |
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| Chapel Hill Regional | ||||
| 29 | Friday | W, 8–0 | VCU | 46–11–1 |
| 30–31 | Sat.–Sun. | W, 7–5, W, 9–3 | East Carolina | 48–11–1 |
| June | ||||
| Chapel Hill Super Regionals | ||||
| 5–7 | Fri.–Sun. | L, 9–5, W, 4–0, W, 4–3 | Southern Cal | 50–12–1 |
| College World Series | Omaha, Neb. | |||
| 12 | Friday | W, 6–2 | No. 18 Ole Miss | 51–12–1 |
| 14, 17 | Sun., Wed. | W, 5–2, W, 12–7 | No. 9 West Virginia | 53–12–1 |
| 20–22 | Sat.-Mon | 8:07, 2:37, 7:07 (if needed) | CWS Finals vs. Oklahoma | ESPN, ABC, ESPN |
Photos courtesy of UNC Athletics
