DURHAM, N.C. – Center fielder Chaz Frank and left fielder Parks Jordan drove in three runs apiece and No. 7 North Carolina scored 13 of its 15 runs after the fifth inning to defeat Duke 15-1 on Saturday afternoon at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
North Carolina (37-13, 18-8 ACC) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second, scoring on a pair of sacrifice flies.
Duke scored its lone run of the game in the fifth to cut the UNC lead to 2-1. Center fielder Will Piwnica-Worms got the inning going with a one-out double to right center. Two batters later, third baseman Jordan Betts beat out a close play at first, reaching on an infield single. Designated hitter Jeff Kremer followed with an RBI-single to left to bring in Piwnica-Worms.
Shortstop Michael Russell had an RBI-single and third baseman Colin Moran added a two-run double in the sixth to put the Heels up 5-1.
In the seventh, Jordan had an RBI-triple to right center and Frank tacked on an RBI-double to push the Carolina lead to 7-1.
Two Duke errors led to two unearned runs for the Tar Heels in the eighth as UNC went ahead 9-1.
Carolina tacked on six runs in the ninth to account for the final margin.
R.C. Orlan (8-1) earned the win after tossing 2.1 scoreless frames out of the bullpen for the Heels.
Kremer finished 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, while right fielder Andrew Istler went 2-for-4 with a double. Piwnica-Worms doubled and scored a run, catcher Mike Rosenfeld had a double, while Betts and first baseman Andy Perez both added a hit for Duke (19-31, 7-19 ACC).
Freshman lefty Trent Swart (3-8) took the loss despite striking out nine batters on the day.
The Blue Devils and Tar Heels will wrap up their series on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
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