UNC Baseball: Midweek recap and weekend of 4/9

The North Carolina Tar Heels (15-12, 9-9 ACC) have fallen to .500 in the ACC, but are just two games back from the division lead.

Carolina improved their overall record on Tuesday with a win over South Carolina in Charlotte. UNC can make up some group this weekend as they host Duke.

Here is the schedule for this weekend versus Duke:

Unfortunately, UNC is no longer ranked in any of the national polls.

Carolina traveled to Uptown Charlotte Tuesday to take on South Carolina in the annual Border War. Both UNC and USC scored in the first inning. For Carolina in the top of the first, Justice Thompson drove in Angel Zarate on a RBI single after Zarate started the game with a triple.

The game remained a defensive battle through the sixth, when once again the Gamecocks answered the Tar Heels in the bottom half of the inning. Danny Serretti had a great evening at shortstop, making a great over the shoulder catch, and easily converting a 6-3 double play.

The good folks in Charlotte were treated to some free baseball Tuesday evening. In the top of the 10th, Caleb Roberts drove in Zarate with a shot up the middle. Zarate was able to avoid the tag at home.

In the bottom of the 10th, South Carolina went down in order, and Carolina scored an important win over a ranked Gamecocks team. Caden O’Brien, coming in during the bottom of the eighth, went the rest of the way and earned the win for UNC.

The pitching staff did a good job, allowing just three hits on the evening.

Once again, UNC hosts an underachieving Triangle neighbor at Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium. Can the Tar Heels take advantage this time?

Duke (12-13, 5-10 ACC) is coming off a midweek win against NC Central, but were swept by a ranked Miami team last weekend. The Blue Devils have won just one ACC series this season, but find themselves in the middle of the pack when looking at team batting and pitching.

RJ Schreck leads Duke with a .345 batting average, a .575 slugging percentage, a .453 on-base percentage, five home runs, 20 RBIs, and 30 hits. His on-base percentage and seven stolen bases rank in the top ten in each category in the ACC.

The Blue Devils will rely on righty Marcus Johnson to put in some work in relief. Starting pitchers Henry Williams and Cooper Stinson have provided a good amount of innings pitched when they make starts.

Friday: TV Radio

Saturday: TV Radio

Sunday: TV Radio

Below are the individual leaders for UNC:

Batting:

• Batting average: .333 - Justice Thompson
• Slugging percentage: .600 - Caleb Roberts
• Home runs: 7 - Caleb Roberts (T-7th ACC)
• RBI: 21 - Caleb Roberts
• Hits: 35 - Justice Thompson (T-8th ACC)
• Runs: 24 - Justice Thompson (T-10th ACC)
• On-base percentage: .447 - Justice Thompson

Pitching:

• ERA: 0.00 - Gage Gillian (minimum 10 innings pitched)
• Strikeouts: 50 - Austin Love (4th ACC)
• Innings pitched: 43.0 - Austin Love (4th ACC)
• Wins: 4 - Austin Love (T-2nd ACC)
• Saves: 2 - Nik Pry, Connor Ollio, Caden O’Brien