No. 8 UNC baseball blows past Winthrop 11-0

Though it took a while to get going, the No. 8 North Carolina baseball team (8-0) stayed hot on Tuesday afternoon and cruised to an 11-0 victory over Winthrop (4-3). UNC pitcher Tyler Baum recorded a win in his first career appearance for the Tar Heels.

What happened?

The first-year Baum looked strong, holding Winthrop scoreless in his first five innings of work. Baum struck out five and allowed just one base runner in that span.

At the plate, UNC started slow. The Tar Heels stranded four runners in the first two innings and two more in the fourth when Adam Pate grounded into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.

Perhaps needing a bit of luck to get on the board, UNC got just that in the fifth inning when Winthrop reliever Dalton Whitaker balked with the bases loaded to give the Tar Heels their first run of the game.

The next four UNC batters all recorded RBI hits, punctuated by three straight doubles from Brandon Riley, Cody Roberts, and Ashton McGee. When the dust settled, UNC held a 5-0 lead.

Given a lead, Baum finally ran into trouble in the top of the sixth when he allowed a walk and a single with two outs. Baum was promptly replaced by fellow first-year Austin Bergner, who quickly got out of trouble, forcing Anthony Paulsen into an inning-ending groundout.

Logan Warmoth added to UNC’s lead in the sixth inning with a solo home run and then again in the seventh, clearing the bases with a three-RBI double and giving UNC a 10-0 lead, and Tyler Lynn drove home North Carolina’s 11th and final run with an RBI single in the eighth.

First-year Bo Weiss — also making his first career appearance — closed the door for the Tar Heels in the ninth, finishing out a decisive 11-0 victory.

Who stood out?

Baum was the story of the day on the hill. The first-year held Winthrop scoreless over 5 2/3 innings, allowing just two hits and a walk. Baum tallied six strikeouts as well.

At the plate, Logan Warmoth led the Tar Heels with four RBIs thanks to a home run and a double in consecutive innings. With a 2-for-4 day, Warmoth improved his batting average to .429.

When was it decided?

UNC opened the floodgates in the bottom of the fifth inning with five runs, but Winthrop challenged in the very next inning. Entering with two on and two outs, Bergner forced a groundout and preserved the lead.

Warmoth’s solo home run in the bottom of the frame extended UNC’s lead to six and dispelled any notion of a comeback.

Why does it matter?

The Tar Heels kept their winning streak alive with their first ranked opponent — No. 18 St. John’s — looming on Wednesday, and Baum’s performance showed that head coach Mike Fox has options for starting pitching depth.

These mid-week games can be tricky to manage from a pitching standpoint, but Baum would add much-needed depth to the Tar Heels’ rotation. Of the four pitchers Fox used on Wednesday, three were first-years. If the young arms can contribute consistently, that could provide UNC a big push once conference play begins.

When do they play next?

UNC faces its first ranked opponent of the season in No. 18 St. John’s on Wednesday at Boshamer Stadium. First pitch is 3 p.m.

sports@dailytarheel.com