Arizona rallies past UNC baseball to set up NCAA super regional final showdown
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- Arizona scored six two-out runs to defeat UNC and force Game 3 in Chapel Hill.
- UNC left 13 runners on base and hit .143 with men in scoring position.
- Wildcats recorded 16 hits, most allowed by UNC pitching staff this season.
Arizona didn’t like being on the losing end of an 18-2 score in Game 1 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional, but it also didn’t panic.
“It’s one game and it’s a three-game series, which is the beauty of baseball,” Arizona head coach Chip Hale said on Friday. “We’re not in uncharted waters. We’ve lost some Friday games and come back and won the series.”
The Wildcats (43-19) clawed back into the series Saturday after defeating No. 5 national seed North Carolina (46-14), 10-8, at Boshamer Stadium and forcing a winner-take-all Game 3. The two teams play at noon Sunday.
UNC head coach Scott Forbes expected the Wildcats to fight for the rubber match, unwilling to leave Chapel Hill quietly. He was correct.
“It’s just the way it works. Rarely is it like it was yesterday,” Forbes said after the game. “I just had that feeling. I think they’re a really good team, and we spent a lot of time scouting them. Obviously, how we play is most important, but you don’t get to this point of the season if you don’t have really good teams. I think tomorrow will be the same, and I’m excited, really I am. This is why you coach, but this is also why you come to the University of North Carolina as a player to play in these games.”
As they did in Game 1, the Wildcats pounced first. Because of a change in defensive alignment, the Tar Heels allowed two first-inning runners to reach base — as opposed to turning a double play. One runner crossed home plate on a sacrifice fly.
The teams traded runs throughout the afternoon, with neither program able to take a comfortable lead. Arizona, however, used some two-out magic to keep Carolina off balance. The Wildcats, taking advantage of an error and misplaced pitching, scored six runs with two outs. They finished with a .421 batting average.
Arizona third baseman Maddox Mihalakis went 2 of 5 with three RBIs, and first baseman Tommy Splaine recorded two hits and two RBIs, including a home run off a 3-2 pitch.
“They did a really good job today with two outs. I’m a firm believer in giving credit where credit’s due,” Forbes said. “They had good at-bats, and we didn’t put them away. That’s why they ended up on top.”
UNC second baseman Jackson Van De Brake and left fielder Carter French, who hit a career-high four singles, thought the team executed its offensive plan. It finished with 12 hits and faced four pitchers.
“Sometimes the ball didn’t land our way, we didn’t get the pitch we were looking for, or we might have gone out of the zone in earlier in the count, when we should have probably been more patient,” French said. “I just think that we can do a better job tomorrow and today wasn’t great.”
Designated hitter Sam Angelo hit a team-leading fourth home run of the NCAA Tournament in the second inning, driving in a pair of runs, and gave the Tar Heels a lead. It was his sixth homer of the season after hitting two in the regular season.
Catcher Luke Stevenson hit a one-out RBI double in the fourth to drive in center fielder Kane Kepley for the go-ahead run. Prior to his swing down the right side, the Tar Heels were 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position. Third baseman Gavin Gallaher’s sacrifice groundout gave the Tar Heels a 4-2 lead
Then, UNC found a little of its own two-out magic in the top of the seventh when it scored four runs.
While trailing by two, right fielder Tyson Bass launched a three-run home run over the left field wall and gave UNC a one-run lead. The Heels extended that back to two runs when Van De Brake drew a bases-loaded walk.
The Heels, however, missed too many other opportunities in the loss after leaving 13 runners on base. They finished 6 of 23 (.261) with runners on base and 2 of 14 (.143) with men in scoring position.
“Obviously, we wanted to get it done today, and we had chances to do so, but once that final out was made, we’re already moving on,” Van De Brake said. “There’s no point in hanging onto today. We’ve been there before. We did it last weekend, and we know we can do it again.”
Beyond Carolina’s offensive problems, Arizona saw pitches well and the Heels were uncharacteristically off. The Wildcats finished with 16 hits, the most allowed by the Carolina pitching staff this season, and were not retired in order until the eighth inning.
Second-day pitcher Jason DeCaro struggled at times during his outing against Arizona. The sophomore gave up seven hits, matching his career high, in 3 ⅔ innings. He did not record a strikeout for only the second time this season, inducing 11 outs via contact.
DeCaro departed the game in the fourth inning after allowing three two-out base runners and a solo home run.
Aidan Haugh entered the game in relief. He threw six strikeouts and gave up a pair of runs in 2 ⅓ innings.
Freshman star Walker McDuffie didn’t have his best day on the bump, either. McDuffie lasted two-thirds of an inning after giving up two hits, four runs and matching his career high with three walks. Overall, the Tar Heels used four arms in the loss.
“We had good stuff top to bottom. We just weren’t putting that stuff where we want to put it,” Forbes said. “If you don’t put it where you want to, against a good team, they make you pay. So really, it was just a command thing.”
Forbes said Ryan Lynch is expected to start, but the entire bullpen will be available to throw.
This story was originally published June 7, 2025 at 4:03 PM.
