After an impressive performance last weekend against Georgia Tech, No. 2 North Carolina now turns its attention to longtime archrival Duke.
The Tar Heels defeated then-No. 2 Georgia Tech in two out of three games to win their first series against a top-10 team, and the victory made Carolina a national title contender to many people around the country. While North Carolina (34-7-1, 15-6 ACC) has been a top-10 team for most of the season and was the No. 3 team last week, it was the signature series win that made everyone take notice.
For Duke (22-21, 8-13 ACC), however, this has not been the season it hoped for.
Last season, the Blue Devils went 41-21 and were a game away from advancing to the College World Series, but they lost 5-4 in the rubber match to Murray State. However, longtime coach Chris Pollard left to take the Virginia job, and the Blue Devils greatly miss his presence.
Duke is 22-21 in Corey Muscara’s first season and is in danger of missing postseason play. Still, the Blue Devils have talent — and, of course, it’s a rivalry game, so anything can happen.
The Diamond Heels and Blue Devils will kick off Game 1 at 7 p.m. Thursday, then recharge and play again at 6 p.m. Friday. For the series finale, North Carolina and Duke will meet Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.
Keep reading below as we dive deeper into our series preview with several must-knows ahead of Game 1 on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Game 1 (Thursday, April 23) – vs. Duke, Jack Coombs Field, 7 p.m., ACC Network
Game 2 (Friday, April 24) – vs. Duke, Jack Coombs Field, 6 p.m., ACCNX
Game 3 Saturday, April 25) – vs. Duke, Jack Coombs Field, 3 p.m., ACCNX
It was a great win for UNC last week as it held Georgia Tech, the nation’s highest-scoring team in the country, to five runs or less in all three games, which is the only team this season to have done so against the Yellow Jackets in consecutive games all season.
However, UNC has to focus up as it gears up against Duke in a three-game series. While the Blue Devils are struggling, they would enjoy spoiling the Diamond Heels push for an ACC regular season title.
Anything can happen in a rivalry and this is the perfect trap series for UNC.
RP Caden Glauber: 1.74 ERA, 5-0, 3 saves, 46.2 IP, 24 walks, 56 K
RP Jackson Rose: 1.30 ERA, 3-0, 31.1 IP, 15 walks, 29 K
RP Walker McDuffie: 2.30 ERA, 6-1, 3 saves, 25 walks, 54 K
SP Jason DeCaro: 2.50 ERA, 6-2, 50.1 IP, 25 walks, 43 K
INF Jake Schaffner: .329 batting average, 10 doubles, five triples, five home runs,
OF Owen Hull: .387 batting average, 60 hits, 15 doubles, 3 home runs, 48 RBI, 30 walks, 12 stolen bases
INF Erik Paulsen: .308 batting average, 48 hits, seven doubles, seven home runs, 38 RBI