UNC baseball finishes sweep with 5-4 win over Kentucky

The No. 12 North Carolina baseball team defeated Kentucky, 5-4, Sunday at Boshamer Stadium to complete the opening-series sweep.

What happened?

The Tar Heels didn't hit for power much over the first two days — UNC combined for just two extra-base hits in Games 1 and 2 — but they were swinging for the fences early Sunday. 

In the bottom of the first, junior shortstop Logan Warmoth hit a solo home run over the wall in left-center. In the next inning, senior outfielder Tyler Lynn knocked an 0-1 slider onto the trees behind the right-field fence for a two-run home run, extending the UNC lead to 3-0. 

The Wildcats answered back in the top of the third, as an RBI double by Connor Heady and a two-run home run by Riley Mahan tied the game at 3-3.

It didn't take long for the Tar Heels to take back the lead, as a balk by Kentucky pitcher Justin Lewis scored Warmoth from third in the bottom of the frame. Later in the inning, sophomore third baseman Kyle Datres doubled to left-center, scoring Zack Gahagan from second and pushing the lead to 5-3.

Kentucky cut the lead to 5-4 in the top of the fourth, but neither team was able to do much from there on out. 

In the top of the ninth, redshirt first-year Josh Hiatt came on and picked up his third save in three days.

Who stood out?

Michael Busch got a hit in his first career at-bat on Friday, but he struggled after that first cut. Coming into Sunday's game, the first baseman was hitting just .143 on the season.

But in Game 3, he showed why the North Carolina coaches are so high on him. After grounding out in his first at-bat, Busch reached on a single, a stand-up double and a walk in three straight plate appearances. 

On the mound, first-year Luca Dalatri settled down considerably after a rocky start. 

The highly-touted prospect gave up as many runs through four innings Sunday as he did as a high school senior in 2016, but he made quick work of the Wildcats in the middle innings. Of the 29 batters he faced, 23 saw first-pitch strikes and five struck out.

When was it decided?

The Wildcats led off the top of the eighth with a single to right-center and looked like they'd cause some damage in the inning, but the North Carolina defense had other ideas. 

The next pitch out of Rodney Hutchison's hand was slapped to third, where Kyle Datres turned a nifty 5-4-3 double play. 

The next Kentucky batter walked, but he was caught stealing to end the inning and the scoring threat.

Why does it matter?

Head coach Mike Fox preached Saturday night about the importance of closing out the series with a win. The Tar Heels didn't do this enough in 2016, losing 8-of-10 Game 3s in ACC play. 

North Carolina was able to do that Sunday against Kentucky, a welcome site for the team after the way last season ended.

Where do they play next?

The Tar Heels host Gardner-Webb in a mid-week clash at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

@jbo_vernon

sports@dailytarheel.com