The 19th-ranked North Carolina baseball team (24-8, 8-7 ACC) clinched a dramatic series win over Duke (21-12, 8-7 ACC) with a 14-inning, 8-7 walk-off victory Saturday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium.
The game was a back-and-forth battle, with Duke forcing extra innings before graduate shortstop Alex Madera’s sharply hit grounder in the 14th took a tough bounce past second base, bringing home the winning run.
This 14-inning contest ties the longest game ever played between the rivals, the last being in 1964. “That’s super long,” said first-year righty Camron Seagraves. “But we never gave up—I knew we’d break through.”
UNC jumped out early with a two-run homer from sophomore catcher Luke Stevenson in the first, clocked at 105 mph off the bat. Duke quickly answered in the second with a two-run shot by AJ Gracia off UNC starter Aidan Haugh. The Tar Heels reclaimed the lead in the bottom half after back-to-back singles and a sac fly from Macaddin Dye.
Duke capitalized on two UNC errors in the fourth to take a brief lead, but Haugh managed to limit further damage. He finished with five innings pitched, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits, walking and striking out four on 105 pitches.
UNC surged back in the sixth as Hunter Stokely doubled and Tyson Bass walked to chase Duke starter Henry Zatkowski. Madera’s RBI single and a wild pitch helped the Tar Heels regain the lead, 5-4. First-year reliever Walker McDuffie held Duke scoreless through 2.2 innings, and UNC added two more runs in the eighth.
However, Duke mounted a ninth-inning rally. Ryan Lynch walked two batters before giving way to Seagraves, who allowed three straight singles, tying the game 7-7. A Duke baserunning miscue and a double play prevented further damage.
Seagraves bounced back with perfect 10th and 11th innings. UNC nearly walked it off in the 10th but stranded the winning run at third. Graduate arms Tom Chmielewski and Cale Bolton each escaped jams in the 12th and 13th. Folger Boaz entered in the 14th and escaped a bases-loaded scare to keep the game tied.
In the bottom of the 14th, Bass drew a walk, Hargett laid down a textbook bunt, and Madera delivered the game-winning hit.
“We got great pitching and effort from so many guys,” said head coach Scott Forbes. “The dugout was locked in all game long.”
The Tar Heels now head to Elon for a Tuesday matchup before returning home to face Wake Forest next weekend.
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