They Came to Play: UNC Seizes ACC Championship with Statement Win

Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics.

The Tar Heels, who previously won the conference crown in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1990, 2007, 2013, 2019, and 2022, added their latest trophy to an already storied program history.

In his opening statement, head coach Scott Forbes could not hold back his immense pride for his Tar Heels, saying:

“It’s an incredible group to be around. This is all about them. I’m also blessed with an outstanding staff and the kind of behind-the-scenes support that most people don’t see, but that’s essential to making something like an ACC Championship possible. I’m just really thankful for all of it. Clemson is a heck of a team, no doubt about it. We had that big inning, but I thought the real story of the game was Ryan Lynch. For a true freshman to go out there, pitch the way he did, then load the bases and not give up a single run — that’s not easy to do against a lineup like Clemson’s. That moment changed everything. I felt like all the momentum swung our way after that. It could’ve been one run, maybe more, but instead, it was nothing — and from there, we really put together some great at-bats. Our guys show up ready to compete every single day, and today, they came out with the mindset to go get it. And they did. They brought home the ACC Championship.”

Catcher Luke Stevenson earned tournament MVP honors and headlined the 11-player All-Tournament Team following an impressive individual performance throughout the week.

North Carolina’s dominance in the championship was built on both offensive firepower and a strong showing from the pitching staff. 

The Tar Heels produced 14 runs on 13 hits, six of which went for extra bases.  On the mound, starter Ryan Lynch set the tone early with four shutout innings and seven strikeouts.

Seven UNC players recorded hits in the win, with four delivering multi-hit performances. 

Gavin Gallaher (3-for-4, double, walk, RBI, run) and Alex Madera (3-for-5, double, RBI, two runs, stolen base) led the charge with three hits apiece. 

Jackson Van De Brake (2-for-6, home run, five RBI, run) drove in a game-high five runs, while Hunter Stokely (1-for-5, home run, two RBI, run) and Tyson Bass (1-for-3, home run, walk, HBP, two RBI, three runs) also went deep.

Clemson struggled to cash in on scoring opportunities despite tallying nine hits. 

The Tigers left 11 runners stranded and managed only four runs—two of which came via a two-run homer from Cam Cannarella (1-for-3, HR, walk, two RBI, run). Dominic Listi (1-for-2, HBP, two walks, RBI) and Jack Crighton (1-for-4, RBI) accounted for the team’s other two runs.

Reliever Olin Johnson (2-0) picked up the win for UNC after entering in the fifth inning. He surrendered two runs on four hits across 2.2 innings, striking out one and walking two. 

Clemson starter B.J. Bailey (2-5) was charged with the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) in just 1.1 innings of work.

North Carolina wasted no time getting on the board. 

Gallaher doubled in the first inning and came around to score following a Clemson error, putting the Tar Heels up 1-0. In the second, UNC loaded the bases on two hit batters and a walk. Kane Kepley brought home one with a sacrifice fly, and Van De Brake followed with an RBI single to extend the lead to 3-0.

After Lynch struck out the side in the top of the third, Madera’s RBI single in the bottom frame pushed the margin to 4-0.

Clemson’s biggest threat came in the fourth, when they loaded the bases with no outs. But Lynch responded with two strikeouts and a groundout to escape the jam unscathed.

The fifth inning proved to be the knockout blow. North Carolina exploded for eight runs, highlighted by three home runs: a two-run shot from Stokely, a two-run blast from Bass that struck the video board in left-center, and a three-run homer from Van De Brake. An RBI single rounded out the inning, giving UNC a 12-0 advantage.

Two more runs in the sixth made it 14-0. Clemson finally got on the board with Cannarella’s two-run home run in the seventh and added a run in both the eighth and ninth, but the Tar Heels’ lead was never in doubt.