University of North Carolina Athletics
Friday, May 15
Raleigh, N.C.
7 PM
North Carolina
43-9-1, 22-7
at
NC State
31-21, 13-16
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 15 | 1 |
| NC State | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 1 |
Photo by: ISABEL O. SWINDALL
Paulsen’s Grand Slam Propels Carolina Baseball To 17-7 Run Rule Of NC State
May 16, 2026 | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. – Erik Paulsen's fifth inning grand slam served as the knockout blow for Carolina baseball as the team ran away with a 17-7 run-rule victory over their rivals from NC State on Friday night at Doak Field.
The No. 2 Tar Heels (43-9-1, 22-7 ACC) put together three huge innings that accounted for 16 of their runs as this team continues to prove it can win whatever style of game it needs to. Known for their pitching, the Heels are up to 20-0 when scoring double digits.
The victory also secured the series for Carolina who have now won nine straight in the ACC to finish the season. It is the most conference series claimed since UNC won all 10 in 2017.
Today's result also guaranteed head coach Scott Forbes' squad the best road record by win percentage in the program's history since World War II. The 1934 squad went a perfect 8-0, but the more recent top spot was also held by that 2017 team that went 13-3 (.813).
The offenses were the story of the game as both teams combined for 14 hits that produced their 24 runs. It is the second highest scoring contest of the year for UNC, just behind the 27 total scored in their 22-5 run rule of Duke.
The difference was what Carolian was able to do with their hits, logging five doubles and three home runs with only five left on base. It is the third straight game the Heels have had more extra base hits than singles. By contrast, the Wolfpack did not have an extra base hit and left nine runners on base.
Jake Schaffner had the perfect leadoff to the game, sending the first pitch over the right field fence. It was his sixth long ball of the year and UNC's first in the opening at-bat since he did so against Notre Dame on March 29. The Heels' shortstop would finish the day with three hits, a walk, and four runs scored.
Owen Hull and Macon Winslow in the three and four hole powered the offense throughout the night, combining for seven RBIs, five hits, and five runs all on five doubles. They doubled in back-to-back at-bats in both the second and the fourth, contributing to Carolina scoring five and four runs in each of those frames respectively.
Making his first start since April 10, Rom Kellis V started the fourth with a solo shot that gave him two home runs on the season. The senior from Gilbert, S.C., is hitting .295 in his limited action but made a good case for himself with the pure blast.
Hull added his third double in the seven run fifth that pushed the game back out to a run-rule, UNC's 14th on the year. He joins Schaffner back in February against VCU as the only Tar Heels with three doubles in one game in 2026.
That massive fifth frame was punctuated by the two-out, opposite field grand slam from Paulsen, the Heels' third of the season and first since Hull smoked one in a run-rule of Georgia Tech. Carolina got 12 two-out RBIs to zero for the Wolfpack on Friday night.
Freshman Caden Glauber, pitching for the second night in a row, improved to 8-0 in his rookie campaign thanks to 3.2 innings of scoreless work with three strikeouts and just one hit surrendered.
The Tar Heels make one more trip over to Raleigh tomorrow for the series and regular season finale against the Wolfpack. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. ET with coverage on ACCNX.
The No. 2 Tar Heels (43-9-1, 22-7 ACC) put together three huge innings that accounted for 16 of their runs as this team continues to prove it can win whatever style of game it needs to. Known for their pitching, the Heels are up to 20-0 when scoring double digits.
The victory also secured the series for Carolina who have now won nine straight in the ACC to finish the season. It is the most conference series claimed since UNC won all 10 in 2017.
Today's result also guaranteed head coach Scott Forbes' squad the best road record by win percentage in the program's history since World War II. The 1934 squad went a perfect 8-0, but the more recent top spot was also held by that 2017 team that went 13-3 (.813).
The offenses were the story of the game as both teams combined for 14 hits that produced their 24 runs. It is the second highest scoring contest of the year for UNC, just behind the 27 total scored in their 22-5 run rule of Duke.
The difference was what Carolian was able to do with their hits, logging five doubles and three home runs with only five left on base. It is the third straight game the Heels have had more extra base hits than singles. By contrast, the Wolfpack did not have an extra base hit and left nine runners on base.
Jake Schaffner had the perfect leadoff to the game, sending the first pitch over the right field fence. It was his sixth long ball of the year and UNC's first in the opening at-bat since he did so against Notre Dame on March 29. The Heels' shortstop would finish the day with three hits, a walk, and four runs scored.
Owen Hull and Macon Winslow in the three and four hole powered the offense throughout the night, combining for seven RBIs, five hits, and five runs all on five doubles. They doubled in back-to-back at-bats in both the second and the fourth, contributing to Carolina scoring five and four runs in each of those frames respectively.
Making his first start since April 10, Rom Kellis V started the fourth with a solo shot that gave him two home runs on the season. The senior from Gilbert, S.C., is hitting .295 in his limited action but made a good case for himself with the pure blast.
Hull added his third double in the seven run fifth that pushed the game back out to a run-rule, UNC's 14th on the year. He joins Schaffner back in February against VCU as the only Tar Heels with three doubles in one game in 2026.
That massive fifth frame was punctuated by the two-out, opposite field grand slam from Paulsen, the Heels' third of the season and first since Hull smoked one in a run-rule of Georgia Tech. Carolina got 12 two-out RBIs to zero for the Wolfpack on Friday night.
Freshman Caden Glauber, pitching for the second night in a row, improved to 8-0 in his rookie campaign thanks to 3.2 innings of scoreless work with three strikeouts and just one hit surrendered.
The Tar Heels make one more trip over to Raleigh tomorrow for the series and regular season finale against the Wolfpack. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. ET with coverage on ACCNX.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Glauber, Caden (8-0)
L: Consiglio, Cooper (3-4)
Batting:
2B: Winslow, Macon 2 ; Hull, Owen 3
HR: Schaffner, Jake 1 ; Kellis V, Rom 1 ; Paulsen, Erik 1
RBI: Nicholson, Cooper 1 ; Schaffner, Jake 1 ; Winslow, Macon 3 ; Hull, Owen 4 ; Howe, Tyler 1 ; Hynek, Colin 1 ; Kellis V, Rom 1 ; Paulsen, Erik 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Nicholson, Cooper 1 ; Schaffner, Jake 4 ; Gallaher, Gavin 1 ; Winslow, Macon 2 ; Hull, Owen 3 ; Howe, Tyler 2 ; Hynek, Colin 2 ; Kellis V, Rom 1 ; Paulsen, Erik 1
SB: Schaffner, Jake 1
HBP: Winslow, Macon 1 ; Howe, Tyler 1
Batting:
RBI: Fraasman, Brayden 2 ; Lanphere, Drew 1 ; Johnson, Sherman 2 ; Johnson, Rett 1 ; Serrano, Christian 1
SF: Serrano, Christian 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nixon, Luke 1 ; McHugh, Chris 1 ; Head, Ty 1 ; Bargo, Dalton 2 ; Johnson, Sherman 1 ; Wiggins, Andrew 1
HBP: McHugh, Chris 1
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF/C
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
C
/ BaseballUNC Baseball: Offense Powers Tar Heels to Series Win vs Wolfpack, 17-7
Saturday, May 16
BASE: Offense Powers Tar Heels to Series Win vs Wolfpack, 17-7
Friday, May 15
UNC Baseball: Diamond Heels Win Battle at NC State in Series Opener, 9-4
Friday, May 15
BASE: Diamond Heels Win Battle at NC State in Series Opener, 9-4
Friday, May 15