By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — No. 2 North Carolina’s blowout of High Point was a classic example of how clutch two-out plays can make all the difference.
The Tar Heels escaped two bases-loaded jams in the early innings when freshman right-hander Caden Glauber got inning-ending strikeouts. The game became a rout with six two-out runs in the fourth inning of a 9–2 victory Tuesday over High Point at Boshamer Stadium.
“The game could have been a lot different if Globe is not, No. 1, talented enough to do that,” UNC coach Scott Forbes said of the big strikeouts. “He’s got that low heartbeat where he can make those big pitches.”
A letdown would not have been a surprise after the huge series win over now No. 3 Georgia Tech, especially with a smaller crowd, and the offense took a while to get rolling. It did not take long, though, for the game to swing after Glauber (winner, 5–0) prevented a couple of big innings.
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Glauber (1⅔ innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 3 strikeouts) got out of those bases-loaded jams by using his slider to get swinging strikeouts. That escaped trouble in both innings when High Point (26–14) could have piled up runs.
Forbes said those strikeouts were the turning point.
“You have to make big pitches,” he said. “He got himself in that trouble, but he’s talented enough to get himself out of that trouble. Everybody’s not like that.”
Despite two errors, Carolina (34–7–1) was otherwise impressive defensively, turning its ACC-leading 40th double play and getting standout plays from shortstop Jake Schaffner and right fielder Carter French.
Schaffner ranged to his right in the hole at shortstop in the fifth inning and threw out the batter easily at first base. In the ninth inning, French made a diving catch in foul territory, then tumbled hard into the fence area. He stayed in the game after being checked out, but he banged his face on the ground and his head against the fence on the follow-through.
Forbes lauded French’s effort in a game that was well under control.
“It’s one of the best plays I’ve ever seen here,” Forbes said. “That catch in a seven-run game shows the intensity level. He doesn’t take a pitch off. He has no fear, none.”
Forbes also praised Schaffner’s range, calling it a separator for Carolina’s infield.
“Jake’s range is unbelievable,” Forbes said. “He’s got as good a first step as any infielder I’ve ever coached. That allows him to get to more balls and make more plays, and it allows us to turn more double plays.”
Carolina did not get a hit or hit a ball out of the infield in its three-run third inning, helped by four walks and a wild pitch from High Point starter Justin Silverstein (loser, 0–3). Reliever Jack Carey’s wild pitch plated another run, and Schaffner had the only RBI on a fielder’s choice grounder.
High Point third baseman Jace Kohler led off the third inning with a double to left-center off UNC starter Jackson Rose (2⅓ innings, 1 hit, 1 run, 1 walk, 1 strikeout). Kohler scored on Frank Kelly’s fielder’s choice grounder off Glauber.
In the fourth inning, Carolina finally got its first hit, and it came when the Tar Heels scored six runs with two outs.
After French’s one-out single, the Heels loaded the bases, and Owen Hull cleared them with an opposite-field double to right field. Erik Paulsen followed with an RBI single, then Cooper Nicholson turned on a pitch for a 360-foot, two-run homer to left field.
Forbes said the box score does not tell the whole story, because the difference came down to execution on two outs, both at the plate and on the mound.
“That’s a dagger for the other team when you do that,” he said. “It’s a dagger the other way, too, when defensively you can get out and prevent those big innings.”
Forbes also credited Carolina’s patience against Silverstein, who showed premium velocity but struggled to land his secondary stuff for strikes.
“Just stay disciplined at the plate,” Forbes said. “We knew we’d have to have an approach with every pitcher, not just the starter, but every pitcher that comes in. Our guys were sitting on some really good pitches and laying off that nasty off-speed, which is hard to do when it’s 95 to 97.”
UNC used six relievers, and High Point did not score an earned run against any of them. Matthew Matthijs retired the Panthers in order with two strikeouts in his only inning, and Boston Flannery struck out a batter in a scoreless inning.
The Panthers scored in the seventh on an unearned run when an errant throw to third base by catcher Colin Hynek allowed a runner to score after Cameron Padgett (2 innings, 1 hit, 1 unearned run, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts) issued a walk and allowed a single.
Hynek took over at catcher after starter Macon Winslow left the game. Winslow took a hard shot on a catcher-interference play. Forbes said Winslow wanted to stay in, but the Tar Heels played it safe.
“Winslow got smoked pretty good, so we had to go to Hynek,” Forbes said. “We got it X-rayed, and it was negative, so that’s great news. Fortunately, Hynek’s good.”
Forbes said Carolina’s midweek pitching usage was intentional, both to manage workloads and to get needed arms on the mound without overextending anyone.
“We had a plan,” Forbes said. “We wanted Rose to be 50 or below. We wanted Glauber to throw between 40 and 50 to make sure he wasn’t rusty. The goal was not to pitch [Walker] McDuffie today, so we checked that box. It’s a credit to our offense scoring those runs, and it’s a credit to those guys coming in and getting their job done.”
Padgett stood out in that mix, and Forbes said the right-hander’s progress has become a meaningful piece of Carolina’s depth late in the season.
“I thought Cam Padgett was as good as he’s been in his entire career,” Forbes said. “We need that depth down the stretch. His velocity keeps going up, the slider’s getting better, the changeup’s there. That’s a credit to him. He works his tail off.”
Tom Chmielewski got the first two outs of the ninth inning before Camron Seagraves recorded the final out.
Notes
— Carolina begins a three-game road series against Duke at 7 p.m. Thursday (ACC Network). The Blue Devils (22–21, 8–12 ACC) lost their fifth consecutive game with a 13–10 loss Tuesday at Liberty.
— It was the 28th Carolina game with a double play.
— UNC finished the five-game homestand 4–1.
— Carolina won its 11th consecutive game against High Point and leads the all-time series 26–3–1, including 24–2–1 in Chapel Hill.
— Forbes is 13–0 against Big South Conference opponents.
— Caleb Wilson threw out a ceremonial first pitch for the second time in nine days, after also doing so before the April 12 Savannah Bananas game at Kenan Stadium.
No. 2 UNC 9, High Point 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 | Scores | Opponent (current rank) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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. | L, 9–3; W, 6–2; L, 13–2 | CWS Finals vs. Oklahoma | 54–14–1 |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
