University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
10-1-1
Le Moyne
0-8
Baseball Rolls To Third Straight Run-Rule, 12-2
February 28, 2026 | Baseball
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The Tar Heels (10-1-1) secured the series with their third consecutive run-rule victory. It is the first time since the mercy rule was fully enacted in 2024 that the team has put three in a row together. UNC now has six early on in the 2026 season, just two shy of tying their previous high of eight from 2025.
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Preseason All-American Ryan Lynch got the start and picked up his first win of the year, tossing 6.0 innings with six punchouts and one run allowed. Veteran Matthew Matthijs finished the game in the final frame, punctuating the win with a strikeout on the final batter.
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The only run Lynch gave up came in the second off a Robert Wegrzyn single and it could have been more if not for a laser beam from Perry Hargett to throw out Adam Sullivan at home.
ÂM2 | Le Moyne scores one, but a dime from Perry prevents another. Dude's got an arm. pic.twitter.com/3OtkXRhZUi
— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) February 28, 2026
It was a slower start at the plate for Carolina in game two of this series than the opener on Friday. The Dolphins even took the first lead, but a seven run fourth inning blew it wide open. RBIs from Cooper Nicholson, Perry Hargett, and Schaffner started the run and put the Heels up four before Paulsen launched a three-run long ball to right center to make it 8-1.
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Facing a team from the Empire State, the New York kid smoked his fifth home run of the year and is well ahead of pace to set a new personal single-season high. His previous high being nine in 2025 while at Stony Brook. It was the most runs the team had scored in an inning this season.
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Not to be outdone, Schaffner followed with a deep blast to right field of his own in the bottom of the sixth. A ball that barley stayed fair gave the Janesville, Wisc., native his second home run of the season, one shy of tying his career total up to this point. He's certainly started his Carolina career hot, as he leads the team in batting average (.467), doubles (4), triples (3), and total bases (37).
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An RBI single from Macon Winslow and a wild pitch that brought in Paulsen put Carolina up 12-1 and enough to end the contest in seven. Winslow finished tied for Schaffner with the most hits on the afternoon with three.
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The Tar Heels will head back to Boshamer Stadium one more time on the weekend looking to complete the sweep on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. ET.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lynch, Ryan (1-0)
L: Earle, Mitchell (0-3)
Batting:
HR: Wegrzyn, Robert 1
RBI: Wegrzyn, Robert 2
SH: Romich, Cooper 1 ; Goodness, Paulie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wegrzyn, Robert 1 ; Cannon, Jack 1
HBP: Brozon, Isaac 1
Batting:
HR: Schaffner, Jake 1 ; Paulsen, Erik 1
RBI: Nicholson, Cooper 1 ; Schaffner, Jake 4 ; Winslow, Macon 1 ; Hargett, Perry 1 ; French, Carter 1 ; Paulsen, Erik 3
SF: Nicholson, Cooper 1 ; French, Carter 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Schaffner, Jake 2 ; Gallaher, Gavin 1 ; Winslow, Macon 2 ; Hargett, Perry 2 ; Hull, Owen 1 ; French, Carter 1 ; Hynek, Colin 1 ; Paulsen, Erik 2
CS: Schaffner, Jake 1
