North Carolina’s baseball squad captured the Chapel Hill Regional title on Saturday, defeating East Carolina 9-3 and extending their streak of consecutive Super Regional appearances to three.
The Tar Heels opened the game with a burst of offense, plating multiple runs in the first inning before ECU could answer, setting the tone for a commanding performance.
Key contributors included Folger Boaz, Walker McDuffie and Jackson Rose, whose combined efforts stifled the Pirates’ bats and kept the momentum in UNC’s favor.
Rose turned in a stellar relief outing, surrendering just one baserunner over the final four innings while striking out four, a performance that required only four pitches to seal the win.
The victory also featured a solo home run by Grady Lenahan for ECU in the third inning, but UNC answered with a crooked number in the bottom of the third, pushing the lead to 8-1.
Super Regional Outlook
With the Regional crown secured, UNC now turns its attention to the Super Regional, where they will host the winner of the College Station Regional, a spot that will be decided when Texas A&M faces USC on Sunday night.
Relief pitcher Joseph Webb shut down the Tar Heels’ bats in innings four through six, posting zeroes while the offense added a run in the seventh via Jake Schaffner’s opposite‑field double.
Ethan Norby gave up a 2‑run hit to Erik Paulsen, extending UNC's lead to 5, and Walker McDuffie induced a double‑play ball in the fourth to keep the score at 8‑1.