Carolina Opens Road Trip With 8-1 Win Over Cal

Friday, March 13

Berkeley, Calif.

9 PM ET

North Carolina

15-3-1

Cal

13-5

North Carolina

California

Photo by: AINSLEY E. FAUTH

March 14, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score

By: William Soulé

BERKELEY, Calif. – Elite outfield defending paired with a steady flow of run support helped North Carolina baseball secure an 8-1 win in their series opener against Cal on Friday night in Stu Gordon Stadium.

The No. 15 Tar Heels (15-3-1, 2-2 ACC) needed until the middle innings to get the ball rolling, but once they did the bats carried the day. Nine hits, six walks, and all eight of the team's runs came in the fifth or later.

The result gave UNC its first win over Cal as a conference foe in its first time of asking. The Heels improve to 6-3 all-time against the Golden Bears and 22-10 in the state of California.

Freshman Tyler Howe, starting in left field tonight against Cal, made a huge defensive play in the first to set the tone. The home team had a runners at the corners with one out trying to jump in front early. Cal's cleanup man Cade Campbell stepped up and hit a fly out to Howe, who threw out a tagging Jacob French at home to end the inning on a double play with no damage done.

Couldn't have said it any better!

T-Howe with an absolute laser beam gets 'em at the plate. Setting the tone on defense 💪 https://t.co/IRP14ZBiz9 pic.twitter.com/cSqpjjAETH
— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) March 14, 2026

Jake Schaffner and Owen Hull both produced three hit games to lead the way at the plate, collectively responsible for all three extra base hits from the boys in Carolina blue on the evening.

Schaffner's single in the fourth was the first hit of the afternoon for UNC, the leadoff man effectively breaking the dam for his teammates. The transfer shortstop came a triple shy of the cycle with a sixth inning double and a solo shot in the seventh that flew all the way to the soccer stadium next door.

Hull has come on strong just in time for conference play. Carolina's staple in center is hitting .524 across his last five games, adding three more base knocks, two RBIs, and a run in this one.

The George Mason transfer also made a huge play on the defensive end, following Howe's lead. Cal's Ethan Kodama lined what looked like a sure-fire double into left center that was instead caught by a diving Hull. Golden Bears' baserunner Carl Schmidt was so convinced it would fall safely that he had fully rounded for home before he realized Hull had the ball and had run all the way in to finish the double play himself.

Just a routine unassisted double play from our center fielder 🤷‍♂️

Atta boy Owen! pic.twitter.com/phjfBX0yrb
— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) March 14, 2026

Friday night ace Jason DeCaro got the start for Carolina, improving his record to 4-1 by giving up just one hit in 6.0 innings on five hits and two strikeouts. True freshman Caden Glauber relieved him in the seventh and went the distance from there to earn his first collegiate save. He also punched out a pair in his 3.0 scoreless frames.

It's been a big stretch of games for a guy who should still be a senior in high school. Across his last three outings, Glauber has picked up his first career start and save with a career-high eight strikeout outing against Virginia sandwiched in between. He has a 0.87 ERA in that stretch.

The Tar Heels will look to secure the series tomorrow afternoon. First pitch of game two of the series is set for 5 p.m. ET with streaming coming once again on ACCNX.