No. 3 North Carolina Drops Game Two Against No. 9 Duke, 5-2

Saturday, May 12

Durham, N.C.

1 p.m.

North Carolina

33-16, 18-8

Duke

38-11, 17-8

North Carolina

Duke

Caden O'Brien

Photo by: Joe Bray

May 12, 2018 | Baseball

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By: T.J. Scholl

DURHAM – Austin Bergner pitched into the sixth but No. 3 North Carolina couldn't overcome No. 9 Duke's three-run third inning as the Blue Devils beat the Tar Heels, 5-2, on Saturday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Duke got the scoring started first in the bottom half of the first inning. Zack Kone's RBI double made it a quick 1-0 game, and after a walk and a single, the Blue Devils had the bases loaded with just one out. Bergner settled in, however and was able to collect two outs to work his way out of the jam.

North Carolina got that run back quickly in the top of the second inning courtesy of production from the middle of the lineup. After a Brandon Riley walk and Ashton McGee's single, Cody Roberts punched a ball through the middle that landed just far enough into the outfield grass to drop. It was good for his 32^nd RBI of the year to tie the game at one.

Duke was able to break the game open in the bottom of the third with a three-run inning to make it 4-1 Blue Devils. Griffin Conine and Kennie Taylor both tacked on singles to extend the Duke lead after three innings.

After a couple of quiet innings, Duke added another run on a wild pitch in the sixth inning to make it 5-1.

From there, both bullpens held steady and kept the game mostly quiet for the rest of the way. UNC threatened in the top of the ninth courtesty of a Brandon Riley RBI single and got the tying run to the plate, but a Zack Gahagan groundout wrapped things up to give Duke a 5-2 win.

The final game of the series is set for tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. back in Durham. Tyler Baum will take the hill for North Carolina against Duke's Adam Laskey.