North Carolina surged past Pitt 13‑5 in the semifinals of the 2026 Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Championship, securing a berth in the title game against Georgia Tech.
The Tar Heels unleashed a balanced offensive onslaught, hitting six home runs that overwhelmed the Panthers' pitching staff, with Rom Kellis V and Jake Schaffner leading the charge.
Early in the contest, North Carolina struck first, plating two runs in the opening inning on a two‑run homer from Gavin Gallaher and an RBI single by Cooper Nicholson.
The lead grew in the second frame as Kellis V added a two‑run blast and Owen Hull contributed an RBI single, extending the advantage.
Pitt answered in the third with an RBI double from Sebastian Pisacreta, trimming the deficit but unable to halt the Tar Heels' momentum.
North Carolina kept the pressure alive, adding a solo homer from Erik Paulsen and another RBI single from Hull in the fifth, before a sixth‑inning volley of homers further widened the gap.
Relief pitcher Walker McDuffie closed the game out, delivering 2.2 innings of one‑run baseball with three strikeouts, sealing a 13‑5 final score.
Looking Ahead to the Title Game
With the semifinal victory in the books, the Tar Heels now turn their focus to Sunday’s championship showdown against Georgia Tech, a matchup that promises another display of power hitting and clutch pitching.