CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Stetson’s Cinderella run through the NCAA postseason is on life support.
North Carolina’s Cody Roberts blasted a three-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, and sophomore Michael Busch added a two-run shot in the seventh as the 11th ranked Tar Heels (42-19) defeated the Hatters, 7-4, in Friday’s opening game of the Chapel Hill Super Regional.
First round draft pick Logan Gilbert gave up four runs over 5.1 innings, which matched his shortest outing of the season.
Trailing 4-1 in the seventh, the Hatters (48-12) were gifted a pair of runs thanks to an error and wild pitch, but the Tar Heels responded swiftly in the bottom of the frame thanks to Busch’s 13th home run of the year.
North Carolina would tack on another run later in the inning thanks to a bases loaded walk issued by Ben Onyshko.
Outfielder Mike Spooner, who's solo homer in the first opened the scoring, gave Stetson a run of its own in the ninth on a two-out RBI single. But the Hatters' rally fell short when cleanup hitter Brooks Wilson flew out to left with the bases loaded to end the game.
The series will resume at noon on Saturday, with Stetson needing to win to force a Game 3 on Sunday.
This story will be updated.