The UNC baseball team struggled throughout most of its ACC-opening series against Virginia over the weekend, losing once via mercy rule and allowing nine runs in game two.
North Carolina (13-3-1) salvaged Game Three on Sunday, winning 8-7 on a 12th-inning walk-off. The Diamond Heels nearly doubled their run total from the first two games, but allowed seven runs in another shaky pitching performance.
In the March 9 USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, UNC fell eight spots to 14th. Ironically, North Carolina is still two spots ahead of UVA (13-3), while sitting right behind LSU and right in front of Florida State.
| 1 | UCLA | 13-2 | 741 | 22 | 1 | – | 1/2 |
| 2 | Texas | 15-0 | 722 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 2/3 |
| 3 | Mississippi State | 13-2 | 673 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3/6 |
| 4 | Georgia Tech | 14-2 | 651 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4/5 |
| 5 | Auburn | 13-2 | 600 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 5/9 |
| 6 | Arkansas | 12-4 | 520 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 5/9 |
| 7 | Southern Miss | 14-2 | 519 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 7/20 |
| 8 | Georgia | 15-3 | 512 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 8/13 |
| 9 | Clemson | 15-1 | 491 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 9/17 |
| 10 | North Carolina State | 14-2 | 416 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 10/19 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | 14-2 | 409 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 11/NR |
| 12 | Wake Forest | 15-1 | 357 | 0 | 16 | 4 | 12/25 |
| 13 | LSU | 12-5 | 356 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 1/13 |
| 14 | North Carolina | 13-3 | 350 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 6/14 |
| 15 | Florida State | 13-2 | 314 | 0 | 15 | – | 14/17 |
| 16 | Virginia | 13-3 | 248 | 0 | NR | 11 | 16/NR |
| 17 | Oregon State | 10-4 | 234 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 12/18 |
| 18 | Florida | 14-3 | 225 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 8/18 |
| 19 | USC | 15-0 | 217 | 1 | 25 | 6 | 19/NR |
| 20 | Texas A&M | 14-1 | 189 | 0 | 20 | – | 20/NR |
| 21 | Tennessee | 12-4 | 154 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 15/21 |
| 22 | Kentucky | 14-2 | 148 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 22/NR |
| 23 | TCU | 9-6 | 142 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 10/25 |
| 24 | Ole Miss | 15-2 | 119 | 0 | NR | 2 | 21/NR |
| 25 | Coastal Carolina | 9-6 | 109 | 0 | 17 | 8 | 7/25 |
Diamond Heels ace Jason DeCaro struggled in his first 2026 loss on Friday, lasting just three innings. UNC’s defense didn’t do DeCaro any favors, though, committing three errors. Colin Hynek, Macon Winslow and Owen Hull all singled to drive in runs, but Virginia built too large a lead to overcome by this point.
UVA chase North Carolina starting pitcher Ryan Lynch early on Saturday, tagging him for five runs across four innings. Hull and Gavin Gallaher homered for the Diamond Heels, but again, with a deficit too great to surpass.
UNC finally came to life on Sunday, trading punches with the Cavaliers in hopes of salvaging Game Three. North Carolina took its first lead on a first-inning Gallaher bomb, then roared back from a 5-1 deficit. Clutch, late-game heroics included a ninth-inning, game-tying home run from Tyler Howe and the game-winning single three innings later.
The Diamond Heels hope to respond with a more dominant win Tuesday, welcoming Bucknell to Boshamer Stadium, before heading out west to Cal.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC baseball down to 14th in latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
