North Carolina tops #2 UVA in baseball series opener, 3-2

North Carolina starter Austin Love took a no-hitter into the seventh, and despite a late Virginia rally, the Tar Heels held on for a 3-2 win in the ACC series opener between the two on Thursday in Chapel Hill.

Zack Gelof broke up the no-hitter with a one-out single in the seventh.

#2 UVA (3-2) finally got to Love (2-0, 1.74 ERA) in the eighth. Brendan Rivoli led off the frame with a double down the left field line, and Logan Michaels followed with an infield single. Both would end up scoring on RBI groundouts by Chris Newell and Max Cotier.

Gelof was robbed in the ninth by North Carolina centerfielder Justice Thompson, who leaped up against the wall to make an over the shoulder grab.

UVA starter Andrew Abbott (1-1, 2.75 ERA) took the tough-luck loss, giving up three runs on six hits in seven innings, striking out six and walking one.

The middle game of the three-game series in Chapel Hill is slated for a 3:30 p.m. start on Friday afternoon. The Cavaliers will send righthander Griff McGarry (0-0, 4.50 ERA, 4.0 IP, 3 BB, 9 SO) to the mound, and he’ll be opposed by fellow righty Max Carlson (1-0, 2.70 ERA, 6.2 IP, 1 BB, 8 SO).