Unranked Stanford Baseball Topples No. 4 UNC in Opener

After falling behind 3-0 after one, Stanford baseball had tied the game at three apiece after three, and would add another three to their total in the fourth inning. No. 4 North Carolina would match them, leaving the score tied at 6-6 after four.

It was at this point that the pitching staff for the Cardinal settled in, not allowing a Tar Heel run for the next four frames. The same cannot be said of the UNC staff, who proceeded to allow six Stanford runs in the fifth, and one more in the sixth, putting the Cardinal up 12-6 entering the bottom of the ninth.

UNC would rally for three against reliever Nick Duggan, getting a walk to lead off the frame, followed by three straight singles before Stanford turned to their closer, Aidan Keenan. The righty would allow one inherited runner to score, but it crossed the plate while an out was recorded, making the game 12-9 with two down and a runner on second.

Leadoff man Kane Kepley would ground out to short to end the game, earning Stanford baseball their first conference win as a member of the ACC.

Matt Scott got the start for Stanford, lasting 3.2 innings and allowing seven hits and three walks, which led to six runs (five earned) off him. The big righty also struck out four and hit a batter.

With runners on first and second and two away in the fourth inning, UNC had already scored three times and was threatening for more. Ty Uber was called upon out of the bullpen, and got out of the jam, ending the threat, then he'd pitch a scoreless fifth inning after the Cardinal hung six in the top of the inning.

That was a huge performance, but the one that Trevor Moore turned in may have been even better. He worked three scoreless frames to get it to the ninth, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out four. The two clubs had been trading runs up until Uber and Moore came into the game, and their pitching on Friday was the main reason why the Cardinal came out on top.

It also didn't hurt that DH Brandon Larson clubbed a grand slam, giving him a home run in back-to-back games. He also brought home six runs in total, and his team needed most of that production from him to come away with the win.

This was also the first regular-season contest that UNC and Stanford have played in program history. Stanford has scored 109 runs in 13 games this season for an average of 8.38 runs per game.

With his walk, freshman Rintaro Sasaki has reached base safely in all 13 games so far this season.

With the win, Stanford is now 11-2 on the season, and 1-0 in ACC play. The loss for North Carolina was their first of the year, dropping them to 13-1 overall and 0-1 in the conference. Even a split of the next two games would be huge for Stanford, who would walk away with a series win against one of the top teams in the country.

It could even get them ranked.

Saturday's first pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m. (PT) from Chapel Hill, and will air on the ACC Network.