Heels Back In The Bosh To Face Charlotte

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Tar Heels roll back into Boshamer Stadium for another midweek contest, this time facing in-state rivals Charlotte in the two program's 47th all-time meeting.

Carolina holds a 37-8-1 record overall with a 22-4-1 mark at home. Forbes' men have won the last four in a row over the 49ers, having last lost in the Carolina coach's first season at the helm when Charlotte was No. 15 in the country.

SCHEDULE & INFO
Tuesday, April 15 - 6 PM ET
Watch: ACCNX
Listen: GoHeels.com/97.9 WCHL
Theme: Bark at the Bosh
Giveaway: Remington Bobblehead & Rope-hats (Students-only)

#12 North Carolina Tar Heels (28-8, 11-7 ACC)
Head Coach: Scott Forbes
Record at North Carolina: 182-97 (5th Season)
Career Record: Same
Career vs. Charlotte: 4-1

Charlotte 49ers (21-14, 8-4 American)
Head Coach: Robert Woodard
Record at Charlotte: 166-127 (6th Season)
Career Record: Same
Career vs. UNC: 1-4

SET A FOREST FIRE
➤ Over the weekend, Carolina picked up an impressive sweep of Wake Forest to move from eighth in the ACC standings up to fourth. It is a massive jump as teams hunt for a top-four spot to ensure a double-bye in the new ACC tournament format.
➤ The first two games of the series were won in run-rule fashion with UNC holding a +26 advantage. It was the largest scoring margin for Carolina in two-straight ACC games since 2008.
➤ The Tar Heel starters combined for just 11 hits and three runs scored in their 17.1 IP to secure their first conference sweep of the season against a team ranked No. 12 by Baseball America.
➤ Gavin Gallaher was the MVP of the weekend, earning himself ACC Player of the Week (more on that later) by going 6-for-10 with two home runs, six RBIs, and five runs scored.
➤ Kane Kepley finished off an 11-1 game one win with a walk-off wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh.
➤ The Heels would not need a walk-off in the game two, rolling to their most runs in a game this season with a 17-1 win. On the day, they were 14-of-29 (.438) at the plate with two doubles, two homers, and 15 free 90s.
➤ Sunday's sweep was secured by the bat of true freshman Lee Sowers. In his first collegiate start, the rookie battled through an eight-pitch at-bat to smack a single into left that scored Alex Madera with the go-ahead run.

GALLAHER GOES WILD
➤ The sophomore standout Gavin Gallaher was named ACC Player of the Week on Monday.
➤ He was simply phenomenal in a four-game stretch that saw him slash .600/.647/1.400 with four home runs, nine hits, seven runs scored, and 11 RBIs.
➤ He led the team in each of those categories as the Tar Heels rolled to a 4-0 week with two run-rules and a sweep of Wake Forest.
➤ On Tuesday at Elon, he recorded his second career multi-home run game when his team absolutely needed the spark. Caught in an offensive slug fest, Gallaher's first long ball gave Carolina its first lead in the contest before his second broke a tie and would represent the game-winning runs.
➤ He followed that up with homers in each of the run-rules of the Demon Deacons. He had three-hits in three straight games to open the week, the first such streak of his career. In the middle of that run, he would go 10 straight plate appearances without registering an out.

ARM TALENT
➤ The Tar Heels' staff leads the ACC in a number of categories including ERA (3.30, 5th NCAA), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.69, 19th NCAA), WHIP (1.19, 8th NCAA), and walks allowed per nine (3.50, 24th NCAA).
➤ Carolina's starters are all over the ACC leader boards, leading the conference game only lists in at least six categories.
➤ UNC's three starters sit at 1st, 2nd, and 4th on the innings pitched list. No other school has more than one in the top-10.
➤ Knapp and Haugh both sit atop the ACC in conference game ERA at 1.25 and 1.32 respectively, the only qualified pitchers under 2.00.
➤ The duo are 1st and 3rd in opposing batting average, with ridiculous .154 leading the way.
➤ UNC put up games with 17 and 14 strikeouts back-to-back twice in week two alone. The last time the team had 14+ Ks in back-to-back games more than once in the same season was 2008.

YOUNG BUCKS BRING THE HEAT
➤ Carolina has called upon three true freshman arms to deliver in big spots this season.
➤ First to appear was the Lee County legend Walker McDuffie. He has thrown 16 times, striking out 41 batters, earning three wins, and logging three saves.
➤ His save was the first by a Carolina true freshman since Shawn Rapp's against Elon on Feb. 18, 2020.
➤ He is also the first true freshman Heel to record more than one save in a season since Trent Thornton had eight in 2013.
➤ Ellerbe, N.C. native Camron Seagraves has 11 appearances under his belt and has recorded a win, 19 strikeouts, and a .245 opponent bating average.
➤ Punching out two to finish off history, he is the first freshman on record to be involved in a UNC no-hitter.
➤ Flamethrower Ryan Lynch currently holds the lowest ERA of the regular relievers at 2.45.
➤ Lynch recently picked up his first career save. It is the first time UNC has had multiple freshmen with saves in a season since 2018.
➤ Lynch's seven strikeouts were the most by a Carolina pitcher in their collegiate debut since Max Carlson racked up eight on Feb. 20, 2021.
➤ The trio, alongside the young Jason Decaro, own nine of the Tar Heels' 25 wins so far this year. Lynch is the oldest of the group while DeCaro, the sophomore, is the youngest player on the team.

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Players Mentioned

Gavin Gallaher

Kane Kepley

Ryan Lynch

Alex Madera

Walker McDuffie

Camron Seagraves

Lee Sowers