By R.L. Bynum
CHARLOTTE — There have been plenty of home run derbies at the ACC tournament this week, and No. 2 North Carolina joined in the fun Saturday.
The Tar Heels belted a season-high six home runs, two from Rom Kellis V, and rolled to a 13–5 victory over No. 14-seed Pittsburgh in the semifinals in front of 6,313 fans at Truist Field. It was the most UNC home runs since they blasted seven at Pittsburgh nearly 13 months ago, and the 22 hits were the most in seven years.
That powered UNC (45–10–1) into Sunday’s noon championship game (ESPN2) against No. 1-seed Georgia Tech (47–9), which blew past Miami 9–3 in the first semifinal, going for back-to-back ACC titles for the first time in 42 years.
“I think it’s awesome,” UNC coach Scott Forbes said of the matchup. “That’s what it’s about. I’m excited about it. Our guys are excited about it, and I think it’s going to be a heck of a game.”
When Colin Hynek blasted a 380-foot shot to left field for an eighth-inning home run, it followed the two from Kellis (a 419-foot home run in the sixth and a 358-foot drive in the second inning), and blasts by Gavin Gallaher (376 feet) in the first inning, Erik Paulsen (353) in the fifth and Cooper Nicholson (441) in the sixth inning.
Kellis has supplied two of UNC’s loudest swings, and Forbes said the production has matched the way the senior has carried himself through a season.
“It’s a credit to Rom; he stuck with it,” Forbes said. “His attitude has been unbelievable. He is a team-first guy, so he’s being rewarded for it. He’s become a more complete hitter, he’s under more control, he’s trusting himself more. When he’s not been in there, he hasn’t been whining or complaining. He’s just been ready for his opportunity.”
Kellis, who also has three home runs in the past week and started for only the 12th time this season, shrugged at any notion that his surge is complicated.
“Be honest with you, they’re just home run pitches, and I’m putting good swings on them,” Kellis said. “I’ve been working, but there’s not much to it. I’ve just got to give it to God. I haven’t done much different. I’ve just showed up every day, and I’ve been blessed to be a part of this team.”
Every UNC starter had at least one hit, led by four from shortstop Jake Schaffner and three each from Macon Winslow, Nicholson and Kellis. Schaffner has been setting the tone at the top of the order all week, and he credited the scouting and preparation that helped UNC jump on Pitt early.
“I think it’s just a credit to our coaching staff for really preparing us before the game, kind of knowing what pitches they’re going to throw and what counts, and how much their stuff moves,” Schaffner said. “I’m just getting the right pitches to hit, and I’m making good contact with them, seeing the ball pretty well.”
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UNC starter Ryan Lynch went 4+ innings (9 hits, 3 runs, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts) before giving way to Walker McDuffie (7–2; 2⅔ innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts), who came on to strand two runners in the fifth inning. Matthew Matthijs retired all four batters, including one strikeout. Cameron Padgett struck out two in the ninth inning but gave up a run on a bloop RBI single and loaded the bases.
Forbes said UNC intentionally leaned on Lynch’s off-speed mix earlier than usual, even after some early misses, because Pitt’s veteran lineup demanded it, crediting pitching coach Bryant Gaines for that approach.
“A couple changeups early were terrible in my opinion — just balls out of the hand,” Forbes said. “[Gaines] kept calling it because he’s down in the bullpens with Ryan. I’m not down there all the time. He believes in it, and we know he’s got to have some off-speed pitches to be effective.”
McDuffie’s outing also came with an eye toward Sunday, and Forbes said UNC’s big lead allowed the staff to keep options open with McDuffie throwing 45 pitches.
“That’s how much respect we have for them. I didn’t even think about that for a plan,” Forbes said. “Honestly, I thought it would be Lynch and McDuffie, and then we wake up [Sunday] and we’d have another plan. Because of us scoring so many runs, I felt like we kept Walker in that 40 to 50 range. He could at least come in and close tomorrow or throw two innings.”
Pitt (33–24) singled four times off Lynch in the first inning, the latter two with two outs from Trey Fenderson and Carter Dierdorf each driving in a run.
“That’s a tough team,” Forbes said of Pitt. “I thought they played really well in this tournament, made a heck of a run. Everybody that watched them, they’re deserving to be selected on Monday, and I sure hope they will, because people won’t want that team in their regional.”
UNC quickly seized the lead with three runs in each of the first two innings.
Gallaher planted an Antonio Doganiero change-up in the right-field seats for a two-run home run in the first inning after Schaffner led off with a single to right field. Winslow singled, took third on an error and scored on Nicholson’s line single.
In the second inning, Kellis launched a shot onto the Home Run Porch high above the right-field wall for a two-run homer to end Doganiero’s day after 2+ innings. Drew Lafferty, who started Wednesday against Wake Forest and threw 89 pitches, came on and gave up a double to Gallaher and an RBI single to Owen Hull.
As Kellis’ bat has heated up, he has also expanded his role defensively with two right field starts in the last seven days, something he said has mattered to him as much as anything during his two years in Chapel Hill.
“I’ll just say it’s credit to Coach [Scott] Jackson,” Kellis said. “We’ve done a lot of outfield work over the last two years, and that probably feels better than anything, how much better I’ve gotten in the outfield. Last year, all I could do is really DH, so being able to offer that means a lot. It’s been a journey for me here, but I’ve enjoyed it every day.”
UNC’s Paulsen hit a solo home run in the fifth inning. Lafferty (3⅔ innings, 8 hits, 2 runs, 1 strikeout) came out one batter later, finishing the tournament with 144 pitches. Schaffner made it 8–3 when he tripled to center and scored on Hull’s RBI single.
It became a rout in the sixth with Nicholson’s homer to left and Kellis’ blast to right.
Behind the offensive outburst, UNC’s defense also delivered timely outs, including double plays that helped keep Pitt from turning early traffic into a bigger inning. Schaffner said the group’s cohesion has been a constant all season.
“It’s been great playing in the infield with those guys this whole year,” Schaffner said. “I think we have a lot of chemistry on and off the field, so it’s been great. They’re some of my best friends, so it’s just great getting to play the infield with some of my best friends.”
Forbes said that kind of daily work is what gives UNC flexibility, and he pointed to the competitive standard set by veterans and newcomers alike.
“That’s a luxury I have as a coach when you have older guys like Carter French and Rom Kellis, and a new player in here like Jake Schaffner, that they don’t take time, they don’t take days off when they get after it at practice,” Forbes said. “The other powerful thing is they pull for one another. It’s a pinch-hit situation. It’s about a team-first mentality.”
Forbes said junior left-hander Folger Boaz (3–2, 6.62 ERA) will start on Sunday, with UNC expecting to have plenty of arms available. He said just about every pitcher on the staff will be available except Caden Glauber.
“We just have to go after them,” Forbes said. “That’s how we are at North Carolina. We don’t care who you are. We’re going to show up, we’re going to play, and we’re going to fight.”
Notes
— Carolina won two of three in its regular-season series with Georgia Tech and leads the all-time series 84–78. The Yellow Jackets’ win in the series finale snapped their six-game losing streak to UNC. Georgia Tech has a 10–7 edge over UNC in ACC tournament meetings, with the Tar Heels winning the last meeting 11–5 in 2023.
— UNC beat Georgia Tech 10–2 in the 2019 ACC tournament championship game in Durham.
— The Tar Heels are in the championship game for the third time in five seasons, the fourth time in seven seasons and the fifth time in nine seasons.
— It was the most hits by UNC since getting 20 on March 12, 2019, against Gardner-Webb.
— UNC’s previous season high was five home runs on May 12 at UNCW. It was the most home runs since the Tar Heels hit seven on April 25, 2025, at Pittsburgh.
— Freshman left fielder Tyler Howe made the play of the game in the fifth inning when he hustled to his left and made a diving catch of a Sebastian Pisacreta liner.
— Lynch left two runners on base in the second inning when, with two outs and an 0–2 count, batter Lorenzo Carrier was called for a pitch-clock violation. One of those baserunners got on because Lynch didn’t hustle to cover first base on a grounder.
— It was Kellis’ second start in right field in the last four games.
— UNC leads the all-time series with Pittsburgh 26–12, and the teams have split four ACC tournament games.
No. 2 UNC 13, No. 14 Pitt 5
ACC tournament
At Truist Field in Charlotte
Buy tickets here.
Tuesday’s first round
No. 16 Duke 21, No. 9 N.C. State 12
No. 12 Stanford 11, No. 13 California 4
No. 10 Notre Dame 5, No. 15 Clemson 4
No. 14 Pittsburgh 16, No. 11 Louisville 8
Wednesday’s second round
No. 8 Virginia 6, Duke 4
No. 5 Miami 11, Stanford 2
No. 7 Virginia Tech 17, Notre Dame 10
Pittsburgh 7, No. 6 Wake Forest 4
Quarterfinals
Thursday’s results
No. 1 (No. 3 ranked) Georgia Tech 16, Virginia 10
Miami 8, No. 4 Boston College 2
Friday’s results
No. 2 (No. 2 ranked) North Carolina 10, Virginia Tech 4
Pittsburgh 8, No. 3 (No. 11 ranked) Florida State 6
Saturday’s semifinals (ACC Network)
Georgia Tech 9, Miami 3
North Carolina 13, Pittsburgh 5
Sunday’s championship
Georgia Tech (47–9) vs. North Carolina (45–10–1), noon, ESPN2
| 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. 3 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. No. 24 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 | Noon | Championship vs. No. 3 Ga. Tech | ESPN2 |
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| 29–31 | Fri.-Sun. | Regionals | Campus sites | |
| June | ||||
| 5–7 | Fri.-Sun. | Super Regionals | Campus sites | |
| 12–22 | Fri.-Mon | College World Series | Omaha, Neb. |
Top photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
