The No. 3 seeded North Carolina Tar Heels left no doubt in their quest for an ACC Championship, overpowering No. 5 seed Clemson 14-4 on Sunday afternoon at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
UNC jumped out to an early lead, scoring four runs in the first three innings. But the team knew the job wasn’t done.
“We knew that even the four runs early weren’t going to be enough,” said sophomore third baseman Gavin Gallaher. “They’ve got an offense that can come back at any time.”
The turning point came in the fifth inning when the Tar Heels exploded for eight runs, including three home runs — their most in a single inning this season.
After sophomore catcher Luke Stevenson walked, graduate first baseman Hunter Stokely hit his first postseason home run over right field. Stevenson scored his second run of the day, giving UNC a 6-0 lead.
Soon after, graduate shortstop Alex Madera reached third and scored on a home run by graduate right fielder Tyson Bass. That made it 8-0.
Then came the biggest swing of the game. Junior center fielder Kane Kepley singled to score a run, and senior second baseman Jackson Van De Brake blasted a three-run homer. That pushed the lead to 12-0.
“That’s hard to overcome,” head coach Scott Forbes said. “When you hit big home runs like Stokely’s and then keep adding on, it’s tough for the other team to stay in it.”
The Tar Heels added two more runs in the sixth inning, capitalizing on Clemson’s defensive mistakes. Although the Tigers scored four runs late in the game, UNC’s early cushion was too much to overcome.
“We put eight on them and stretched the lead,” Gallaher said. “That helped us relax and just play freely.”
Forbes credited the team’s attention to fundamentals and strong preparation.
“These guys help each other with technique,” he said. “The little things don’t show up in the box score, but they make a big difference.”
With the win, the Diamond Heels secured the ACC Championship, showcasing their power, discipline, and teamwork.
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