Bosh Bombers Hit Seven Homers To Beat Pitt, 15-5

Friday, April 25

Pittsburgh, Pa.

6 PM

North Carolina

32-9, 14-8

Pittsburgh

19-20, 5-14

NORTH CAROLINA

PITTSBURGH

April 26, 2025 | Baseball

Box Score

By: William Soulé

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Diamond Heels packed their power for game one against Pitt, running away with a 15-5 win on Friday night at Charles L. Cost Field.

The Tar Heels (32-9, 14-8 ACC) smashed seven home runs on the evening, the sixth time this century the program has logged at least that many in a single game. They are just the second team this year to reach that mark in an ACC contest and one of 23 teams to have done so nationally. It is the most long balls hit by Carolina this season, the previous high being four on multiple occasions.

The night's final three home runs were sent out by sophomore Gavin Gallaher, who tied the school record for most in one game in the process. He is the 10^th player in program history to hit the benchmark.

As if that weren't impressive enough, he did so in three consecutive at-bats. The Apex, N.C., native reset the clock on a number of last time categories including: three-home run game (Parks Harber, 3/30/24), six-RBI game (himself vs. LIU, 5/3/24), and 12+ total bases (Parks Harber, 3/30/24).

Only history could overshadow an immaculate night from fellow sophomore standout Luke Stevenson. The Carolina catcher had two home runs of his own as part of a night where he went 3-for-3, scored four runs, had three RBIs, and walked twice (once intentionally, right before Gallaher's third home run).

It is the first four-run contest for a Carolina batter this season and the first for the team since Stevenson did it against Campbell last year (5/07/24). He has five home runs in his last five games for the Heels and is up to 15 on the season.

Continuing on a night of big storyline for the Tar Heels, only stellar night's from the sophomores could come ahead of Alex Madera hitting his first home run of the season. The team leader in batting average (now .338) isn't known for his power, but got all of a Patrick Gardner breaking ball and sent it 369 feet the other way off the scoreboard in left.
Tyson Bass's solo shot in the second inning brings the total to seven homers. Of the 15 runs Carolina scored on the night, 11 of them came via balls that left the yard.

Jackson Van De Brake was responsible for three of the non-home run RBIs. A pair of doubles in consecutive at-bats added even more insurance and gave him seven multi-RBI games this season.

This game was not secured until the later innings, and Carolina once again relied on its ace Jake Knapp to expertly hold the opposition at bay. The senior was fantastic once again, throwing 6.1 IP while racking up eight strikeouts on just one walk and five hits. For his efforts, he picked up his ACC leading ninth victory.

True freshman Walker McDuffie finished the game for Knapp, and although he came one out short of qualifying for a save, he was highly effective in his 2.2 IP of work. With seven Ks, all but one of his outs came via punchout.

The Tar Heels go back at it with the Panthers on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET, looking to build on their good run of form. Friday's win gave them nine wins in their last 10.