Jason Knapp(Page HS) still going and throwing strong for North Carolina Tar Heels in the NCAA Baseball Regionals
from www.goheels.com
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Highlighted a masterful 8.1 innings from Jake Knapp(Page High School), No. 5 national seed North Carolina baseball moves into the winners bracket of the Chapel Hill Regional with a 4-0 victory over Holy Cross on Friday afternoon.
The Tar Heels (43-12, 18-11 ACC) came alive in the bottom of the fourth, scoring three runs off of five hits to provide some breathing room over the Crusaders. Gavin Gallaher’s triple off the wall in left center started the run and kicked off a phenomenal day for the sophomore third baseman.
He would finish 2-for-2 with a pair of walks and an RBI, adding to his lore during regional openers. Including last year’s standout performance against LIU, Gallaher is 5-for-6 with seven RBIs and four runs scored. His single in the bottom of the fifth gave Carolina a 4-0 lead, in what would be the final run of the afternoon.
Gallaher was brought in off his triple by a Hunter Stokely single to center. The duo lead the team in RBIs with 56. The three-run fourth was capped off by two-out RBIs from Tyson Bass and Sam Angelo via a left-field line double and a left side single respectively.
Knapp continued to deal for the Tar Heels, striking out seven and allowing four hits in a shutout performance by the ACC Pitcher of the Year. His 8.1 innings were the most by a Carolina pitcher in the postseason since Hobbs Johnson hit the same mark in Omaha in a 7-0 win over NC State.
The outing brought his ERA down to 1.98 on the year, the only qualified pitcher in the ACC sub 2.50 much less 2.00. He improved to 13-0, the most wins of any Tar Heel without a loss in program history. He is one shy of tying the record for the most wins in a single season, currently held by Greg Norris in 1978.
True freshman Walker McDuffie entered with one away in the ninth to finish off the game for the Heels, striking out the final batter to seal the shutout. It’s the fifth of the year for Carolina and the first in the postseason since blanking Wright State in 2023.
Carolina returns to Boshamer Stadium tomorrow night for game four of the Chapel Hill Regional, awaiting the winner of Nebraska and Oklahoma. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. ET with television designation to be announced.