With the season on the line, the Tar Heels, led by top pitcher Jason DeCaro, did what they had to do to even the series and force a winner take all game three in Chapel Hill against the USC Trojans. A day after surrendering nine runs, North Carolina won 4-0 to get the all important win.
So what led to the all important UNC win?
DeCaro pitched the best game of his career
DeCaro who was pitching the second game of the series for the second week in a row, came out and did what we couldn’t do last Friday against ECU, and that was dominate. DeCaro threw
a career high 117 pitches in a nine-inning complete game shut out. He was next to unhittable striking out eight, including three of the last six batters he faced, and allowing just one walk and two hits (he also hit one batter and a guy was safe on an error, but regardless that’s just five baserunners total in the game). He also was just feeling it as his fast ball was still hitting the mid-90s in the ninth inning, including a game high 96 on pitch 116, as he became the first pitcher to pitch a shutout in an elimination game since 2019 (Kumar Rocker vs Duke). Additionally by pitching the shutout, manager Scott Forbes didn’t have to use any relievers meaning the full allotment should be fresh for tomorrow’s series deciding game. For what is likely his final start at the Bosh, it was a great one.
The defense was dominant
Obviously if you only strike out eight of the 27 batters you face you will need some help on defense, and DeCaro got it, as the defense was near impenetrable. Whether it was great fielding in the infield by Jake Schaffner and Gavin Gallaher, sure catching in the outfield by Owen Hull and Carter French, or even an amazing throw and tag by the catcher Colin Hynek to Gallaher the defense did their job as the Trojans never got a runner past first base in this game despite the aforementioned HBP and error by Cooper Nicholson in the bottom of the third.
UNC scored despite their continued RISP troubles
UNC scored four runs on nine hits today including two solo home runs by Hynek and Regionals MVP Erik Paulsen. They also added two runs on sac flies. However, it’s the runs they didn’t score that still stand the biggest. The Tar Heels were 0-9 with runners in scoring position (RISP) and left 13 guys on base including leaving the bases loaded in the top of the ninth. In this series North Carolina is 1-18 with runners in scoring position and have left a whopping 21 guys on base. If UNC wants to go further than the Super Regionals, they will need to do better when they get guys into scoring position in tomorrow’s contest.
The winner take all game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and USC Trojans takes place tomorrow in Chapel Hill.
