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On a series weekend that was supposed to showcase No. 2 Georgia Tech in its next step to show it was one of the nation’s elite teams, it was North Carolina that stole the spotlight.
Facing a Georgia Tech lineup that arrived in Chapel Hill leading the country at more than 11 runs per game, the Diamond Heels’ pitching staff flipped the script. UNC held the Yellow Jackets to just 11 total runs across three games, while its own offense erupted for 21 runs and six home runs to take the series by winning its first two games.
Here are some of the biggest takeaways from UNC’s huge series win.
Georgia Tech entered the series with the No. 1 scoring offense in the country, averaging more than 11 runs per game. However, UNC’s pitching staff held the Yellow Jackets to 11 total runs in the series. Even more impressive, the Diamond Heels held Tech to five or fewer runs in three straight games, something no other team has done in consecutive games this season.
North Carolina’s pitching staff was most dominant in the first game.
Jason DeCaro, who was celebrating his 20th birthday on Friday, set the tone by allowing one run on five hits with four strikeouts over five innings. He became the first pitcher this season to hold Georgia Tech scoreless through five. Relievers Caden Glauber and Walker McDuffie combined for four innings of one-run, one-hit relief. The Yellow Jackets’ two runs tied their season low, and their six hits were their fourth fewest. Their top four hitters, who entered hitting a combined .373, went 2-for-16.
Throughout the series, Georgia Tech’s two best hitters, Drew Burress and Vahn Lackey, went a combined 5-for-23 (.217) at the plate and did not record an RBI.
While the pitching staff deserves kudos, North Carolina’s bats delivered as well. The Diamond Heels scored 21 runs on 29 hits and blasted six home runs in the series, tallying 19 of those runs in the first two games before the Yellow Jackets’ pitching staff cooled UNC’s offense in Game 3.
Catcher Macon Winslow hit two home runs in the series, while Owen Hull, Colin Hynek, Cooper Nicholson and Erik Paulsen each added one.
North Carolina’s most explosive offensive performance came in its series-clinching 14-4 run-rule victory, when it scored 14 runs on 10 hits. Hull went 2-for-3 at the plate with a grand slam and six RBIs, and in his only plate appearance without a hit, he drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
With the series win, North Carolina is poised to climb to No. 2 in the country behind UCLA. It also marked the Tar Heels’ first series victory over a top-10 opponent this season. Their only series loss to this point came against No. 9 Virginia to open ACC play.
Since that setback, North Carolina has been red hot and has remained firmly in the top 10. With a high-profile series win over Georgia Tech — which entered the weekend with the nation’s top offense — the Diamond Heels have firmly entered the national title conversation.
Observers already knew how good this team could be, and UNC had stacked several impressive series wins throughout the spring. Still, none have matched the statement the Tar Heels made this weekend.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Diamond Heels beat No. 2 Georgia Tech: Key takeaways
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Facing a Georgia Tech lineup that arrived in Chapel Hill leading the country at more than 11 runs per game, the Diamond Heels’ pitching staff flipped the script. UNC held the Yellow Jackets to just 11 total runs across three games, while its own offense erupted for 21 runs and six home runs to take the series by winning its first two games.
Here are some of the biggest takeaways from UNC’s huge series win.
Pitching Staff Dominates
Georgia Tech entered the series with the No. 1 scoring offense in the country, averaging more than 11 runs per game. However, UNC’s pitching staff held the Yellow Jackets to 11 total runs in the series. Even more impressive, the Diamond Heels held Tech to five or fewer runs in three straight games, something no other team has done in consecutive games this season.
North Carolina’s pitching staff was most dominant in the first game.
Jason DeCaro, who was celebrating his 20th birthday on Friday, set the tone by allowing one run on five hits with four strikeouts over five innings. He became the first pitcher this season to hold Georgia Tech scoreless through five. Relievers Caden Glauber and Walker McDuffie combined for four innings of one-run, one-hit relief. The Yellow Jackets’ two runs tied their season low, and their six hits were their fourth fewest. Their top four hitters, who entered hitting a combined .373, went 2-for-16.
Throughout the series, Georgia Tech’s two best hitters, Drew Burress and Vahn Lackey, went a combined 5-for-23 (.217) at the plate and did not record an RBI.
North Carolina’s offense showed up in a big way
While the pitching staff deserves kudos, North Carolina’s bats delivered as well. The Diamond Heels scored 21 runs on 29 hits and blasted six home runs in the series, tallying 19 of those runs in the first two games before the Yellow Jackets’ pitching staff cooled UNC’s offense in Game 3.
Catcher Macon Winslow hit two home runs in the series, while Owen Hull, Colin Hynek, Cooper Nicholson and Erik Paulsen each added one.
North Carolina’s most explosive offensive performance came in its series-clinching 14-4 run-rule victory, when it scored 14 runs on 10 hits. Hull went 2-for-3 at the plate with a grand slam and six RBIs, and in his only plate appearance without a hit, he drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
North Carolina proves it is among the nation’s elite
With the series win, North Carolina is poised to climb to No. 2 in the country behind UCLA. It also marked the Tar Heels’ first series victory over a top-10 opponent this season. Their only series loss to this point came against No. 9 Virginia to open ACC play.
Since that setback, North Carolina has been red hot and has remained firmly in the top 10. With a high-profile series win over Georgia Tech — which entered the weekend with the nation’s top offense — the Diamond Heels have firmly entered the national title conversation.
Observers already knew how good this team could be, and UNC had stacked several impressive series wins throughout the spring. Still, none have matched the statement the Tar Heels made this weekend.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Diamond Heels beat No. 2 Georgia Tech: Key takeaways
Continue reading...
