With only one loss on the season to that point, it’s been fairly smooth sailing for North Carolina baseball so far in 2026. Well over the weekend, they ran into their first real speed bump of the season, losing twice and coming a walk-off away from getting swept. However, they did come away with that one win to come out on a high note from their series versus Virginia.
Friday: Virginia 13, UNC 3 – 7 innings (box score)
The series started in especially less than stellar fashion, as UNC were mercy rule’d.
Ace Jason DeCaro started the game for Carolina, but things quickly went badly. UVA picked up one run on a sacrifice fly in the first inning, but two innings later led to the big blow. An error from UNC third baseman Cooper Nicholson led to Virginia putting up a four spot in the third, pinning three unearned runs on DeCaro.
In total, Virginia scored in every inning except the second. UNC eventually got a couple runs thanks to RBI hits from Colin Hynek, Macon Winslow, and Owen Hull, but the Cavaliers kept answering back. Eventually, UVA scored two runs in the seventh to go up 10 runs, and the game ended early when Carolina then couldn’t answer back in the bottom of the frame.
Saturday (Game 1): Virginia 9, UNC 2 (box score)
UVA pitcher Max Stammel kept Carolina off the board for the first five innings, allowing his offense to build up a big lead and cruise in the first of Saturday’s doubleheader.
While Ryan Lynch opened with a couple scoreless innings for UNC, the Cavaliers eventually got to him in the third when Sam Harris homered. After that, UVA tacked on four more runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to open up a sizeable lead.
The Tar Heels eventually got a couple runs, led by a Gavin Gallaher home run, but it was way too little and too late.
Saturday (Game 2): UNC 8, Virginia 7 – 12 innings (box score)
The series finale in the second game on Saturday was a back and forth one that required UNC to rally down to their last chances twice before coming away with the win.
Early on, the game seemed to be following a similar script to the first two games. While this time a Gallaher homer gave UNC an initial lead, UVA then scored in bunches. They took a 3-1 lead in the second, and extended that to 5-1 by the fourth.
This time, the Tar Heels’ lineup fought back, with Nicholson, Hynek, and Jake Schaffner coming up with big hits, as UNC rallied to tie the game at five. Then after Virginia’s Sam Harris came up with an RBI double in the top of the ninth, Tyler Howe led off the bottom of the ninth with a home run, tying the game to send the game to extra innings.
There, it seemed like the series might end with more frustration. In the 12th, Virginia took the lead back thanks to a Noah Jouras RBI triple. After UVA then got one out in the bottom of the 12th, A Winslow walk and then a wild pitch led to a run scoring on a double from Hull. Then after another wild pitch, Howe became the hero for the second time in the game, as he single to score Hull and give the Tar Heels a wild win.
This week, UNC will host Bucknell in a mid-week game, but will then head out west for a weekend series against Cal.
