No. 3 seeded UNC baseball (40-12, 19-11 ACC) overpowered No. 14 seeded Boston College (28-29, 12-20 ACC), 7-2, on Friday night at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
After a scoreless six innings, the Diamond Heels broke through late in the matchup with five runs in the bottom of the seventh to secure the quarterfinal victory. Senior second baseman Jackson Van De Brake recorded two RBIs and a run in the seventh, kickstarting UNC’s comeback from a 2-0 deficit.
Back-to-back strikeouts swinging from sophomore catcher Luke Stevenson and Van De Brake sealed a quiet bottom of the first for the Tar Heels. In the top of the second, graduate pitcher Jake Knapp recorded two strikeouts of his own to keep the Eagles scoreless.
Despite a single by graduate right fielder Tyson Bass, a slow offensive start bled into the bottom of the second for the Tar Heels after Bass was caught stealing and picked off on the succeeding hit by first-year designated hitter Sawyer Black.
The Eagles’ bats caught fire in the top of the third. With a runner on first, BC’s Patrick Roche fired a soaring ball to left field for a double and RBI. Roche recorded a run of his own on a single by Jack Toomey the next play, putting BC up 2-0.
Another quiet inning followed for the Tar Heels, going three up, three down in the bottom of the third to give the Eagles back possession.
In the bottom of the fourth, Van De Brake fired a single to left field, eventually advancing to third after a passed ball and stolen base. With two outs, the Tar Heels came up empty after a flyout from graduate shortstop Alex Madera secured the third out.
UNC finally found a spark in the bottom of the fifth after a single by junior center fielder Kane Kepley sent junior left fielder Carter French from first to third. On a 3-2 count with bases loaded, Stevenson struck out looking, clearing the bases thanks to Colarusso’s seventh strikeout of the night and third of the inning.
Graduate first baseman Hunter Stokely found contact in the bottom of the sixth with a soaring double to left field, before two outs in a row extended North Carolina’s scoring drought.
