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Chapel Hill, N.C. – Austin Bergner and Austin Love combined for a complete game shutout Sunday afternoon as the Heels beat Auburn 2-0 to force a third and deciding game in the Chapel Hill Super Regional. Love tied his career high with six strikeouts on the evening and threw 41 of his 50 total pitches for strikes over 4.2 innings of work.
Game three will be played at 1 p.m. on Monday at Boshamer Stadium with the winner advancing to the 2019 College World Series.
Key Moments
- After a leadoff single by Michael Busch and a walk by Aaron Sabato, the Auburn pitcher balked to move both runners in scoring position. Ike Freeman stepped up to the plate and singled to left field to drive both runners in and give UNC a 2-0 lead. But, the Heels left the bases loaded after back-to-back pop ups from Dylan Harris and Dylan Enwiller.
- In the bottom of the first inning, Austin Bergner got out of a bases loaded jam with a big strikeout to end the inning.
- In the bottom of the fifth inning with runners on first and second and two outs, Edouard Julien launched the ball to centerfield before Dylan Harris caught it against the wall for the final out of the inning.
- Austin Love entered the game in the fifth inning and dominated on the mound. He tied a career high with six strikeouts in his 4.2 innings and threw 41 of his 50 pitches for strikes.
Notables
- With a single in the first inning, Michael Busch extends his career best reached base streak to 37 consecutive games.
- With a walk in the first inning, Aaron Sabato extended his career best reached base streak to 27 consecutive games.
- UNC scored first in its last 6 postseason games, all of which have been played in Chapel Hill. UNC is 5-1 in those six games, with the only loss coming to Auburn on Saturday in game one of the Super Regional.
- UNC scored in the first inning for the 29th time this season. The Heels are now 26-3 when scoring in the first inning.
- UNC scored first for the 37th time this season. The Heels are now 30-7 when scoring first.
- 14 runners left on base ties a season high for the Tar Heels. They also left 14 runners on base against UMass Lowell and Boston College.
- Austin Love ties a career high with 6 strikeouts and his 8th win of the season gives him most of any pitcher on the team.
- Last NCAA Tournament shutout was in 2018 against North Carolina A&T when UNC won 11-0 in the Chapel Hill Regional.
- It was the first shutout in a Super Regional, under the current format, in Carolina Baseball history.
- The last time UNC won a NCAA Tournament game scoring two or less runs was in 2006 when UNC won 2-0 against Clemson in the College World Series. Pitching coach Robert Woodard threw a complete game shutout for the 2-0 win.
Pitcher Records
Win: North Carolina, Austin Love (8-4)
Lose: Auburn, Bailey Horn (4-1)
Up Next:
North Carolina and Auburn will play in game three of the Chapel Hill Super Regional at 1 p.m. on Monday, June 10. The winner will advance to the College World Series.
