University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
45-10-1
Pitt
33-24
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitt | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 2 |
| North Carolina | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | X | 13 | 22 | 0 |
Offense Explodes To Book Baseball Spot In ACC Title Game
May 23, 2026 | Baseball
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The No. 2 Tar Heels (45-10-1) racked up their most hits in a game since 2010 and their most in an ACC Tournament this century with 22 against the Panthers. They came just shy of tying for the most by UNC in a game this century when the team had 23 against Southern Miss in 2009. The ACC Tournament's record for hits in a game sits at 27 set back in 1985.
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Six of those Carolina hits were home runs, the most they had launched in game this season. Their previous high coming just over a week ago with four against UNCW in Wilmington. It is the most homers for UNC in a game since they sent seven out on the road at Pitt last year.
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Five different Tar Heels accounted for the six long balls with Rom Kellis V picking up two for his first career multi-home run game. The senior has had to be patient for his opportunities, but seems to be making the most of them. He has hit three home runs in the last week in his two most recent starts.
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Kellis is now responsible for the second multi-home run game by a Tar Heel this season after Erik Paulsen had the first back on Feb. 25. He finished the day with three hits, five RBIs, and two runs scored.
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The biggest star of the day besides Kellis was one of the few that didn't hit a home run. Leadoff man Jake Schaffner is on an absolute tear in this tournament and kept his hot streak rolling on Saturday with four hits and two runs on a triple, a double, and two singles.
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The junior shortstop is hitting .667 so far this weekend with a double and a triple in both games. With seven on the season, he is now one triple shy of tying the program record held by Rip Ryan (1949) and Brian Goodwin (2010).
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Gavin Gallaher, Cooper Nicholson, Erik Paulsen, and Colin Hynek provided the other home runs hit by Carolina on Saturday. In total, UNC amassed 2, 327 feet of home run distance. Every single Tar Heel that had an at-bat got a hit, eight scored, and six provided an RBI.
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Star reliever Walker McDuffie picked up the win to improve to 7-2 on the season, throwing 2.2 innings with three Ks, one run, and two hits on his ledger. Matthew Mattijs and Cameron Padgett were impressive behind him, combining for 2.1 IP of one-run ball and three strikeouts.
The No. 2 seeded Tar Heels now move into the ACC Tournament title game where they will face the No. 1 seed Georgia Tech. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. ET with coverage now moving to ESPN2.Â
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: McDuffie, Walker (7-2)
L: Doganiero, Antonio (6-5)
Batting:
2B: Pisacreta, Sebastian 1 ; Carrier, Lorenzo 1
HR: Nessler, AJ 1
RBI: Pisacreta, Sebastian 1 ; Dierdorf, Carter 1 ; Nessler, AJ 1 ; Fenderson, Trey 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Wagner, Kai 1 ; Carrier, Lorenzo 1 ; Dierdorf, Carter 1 ; Dulin, Caden 1 ; Nessler, AJ 1
SB: Wagner, Kai 1
HBP: Pisacreta, Sebastian 1
Batting:
2B: Schaffner, Jake 1 ; Gallaher, Gavin 1
3B: Schaffner, Jake 1
HR: Nicholson, Cooper 1 ; Gallaher, Gavin 1 ; Hynek, Colin 1 ; Kellis V, Rom 2 ; Paulsen, Erik 1
RBI: Nicholson, Cooper 2 ; Gallaher, Gavin 2 ; Hull, Owen 2 ; Hynek, Colin 1 ; Kellis V, Rom 5 ; Paulsen, Erik 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nicholson, Cooper 1 ; Schaffner, Jake 2 ; Gallaher, Gavin 2 ; Winslow, Macon 1 ; Howe, Tyler 1 ; Hynek, Colin 2 ; Kellis V, Rom 2 ; Paulsen, Erik 2
SB: Schaffner, Jake 1
CS: Hull, Owen 1
