Seventh-ranked North Carolina scored 11 runs in the first three innings, but the Virginia bullpen shut the Tar Heels down from there, and oh, by the way, Henry Ford hit three homers.
Put it all together, and it added up to a 14-11 win for the 11th-ranked ‘Hoos in frigid Charlottesville on Thursday night.
Ford (.377, 10 HR, 43 RBIs) hit a grand slam in a six-run UVA first, then added solo shots in the sixth and eighth, the latter of which broke an 11-11 tie.
The Cavaliers (23-6, 8-5 ACC) also got homers from Luke Hanson (.297, 3 HR, 19 RBIs) and Eric Becker (.345, 1 HR, 15 RBIs).
The bullpen saved the day after starter Cullen McKay (1-0, 6.35 ERA) was chased after walking the first two hitters in the second, and Chase Hungate (0-0, 4.57 ERA) got touched up for a seven-spot in the third.
UNC (25-5, 10-3 ACC) led 11-6 at that point, but Virginia would get six innings of scoreless relief thereafter, with Blake Barker (1-1, 5.09 ERA) doing the yeoman’s work, going three and a third innings, allowing three hits and striking out five.
Matt Augustin (1-0, 2.87 ERA) got the win at the back end, with an inning and a third of scoreless relief.
Dalton Pence (2-1, 1.90 ERA) took the loss. He was the pitcher who gave up the third homer to Ford.
Game 2 is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m.
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Chris Graham
