'Cats Shock No. 2 National Seed North Carolina with 8-4 Win in NCAA Regional Debut

Friday, June 2

Chapel Hill, NC

6:00 p.m.

Davidson College Athletics

33-24

North Carolina

47-13

Davidson

North Carolina

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

'Cats Shock No. 2 National Seed North Carolina with 8-4 Win in NCAA Regional Debut

6/2/2017 11:40:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Tournament Central (Davidson)
Tournament Central (NCAA Chapel Hill Regional)
Game Notes (PDF)
Box Score (PDF)
Postgame Quotes (PDF)
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Video Highlights
DavidsonPhotos.com

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – After a 115-year wait to make its first-ever NCAA appearance, Davidson shocked North Carolina, the No. 2 National seed, 8-4, Friday evening in the opening round of the Chapel Hill Regional at a nearly sold-out Boshamer Stadium.

The Wildcats will face Florida Gulf Coast, the only other first-time participant in this year's Field of 64, tomorrow evening at 6 p.m., while UNC (47-13) and Michigan will meet in a 1 p.m. elimination contest.

In addition to the 'Cats improving to a program-best 33-24, it also marks the third straight season a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference has knocked off the Region's top seed.

Davidson handed ACC Pitcher of the Year and First-Team All-American J.B. Bukauskas his first loss of the year, while Wildcat ace Durin O'Linger improved to 9-3 and sophomore Allen Barry earned his first collegiate save after three solid innings of relief.

O'Linger danced with danger more than once, but found ways to escape four separate innings with at least one Tar Heel runner aboard, including a bases-loaded jam in the sixth. Barry was ultra-efficient, facing just two batters over the minimum.

Three different 'Cats collected two hits each in seniors Will Robertson and Jake Sidwell and junior Cam Johnson. Johnson knocked in three, while Sidwell and junior Alec Acosta each scored twice. Robertson, fresh off his third-team All-American selection, extended his reached-base streak to 52 games, to accompany a number of other program records.

Davidson got on the board early with three runs in the second, after sophomore Justin Lebek reached via hit-by-pitch, and moved to third on a Sidwell single to right field. He then scored after freshman Brett Centracchio smacked a double off the wall in dead center. Both he and Sidwell then came home on a Johnson single that just grazed over the head of the 'Heels' first baseman.

The 'Cats tacked on another run in the third after Acosta led off the frame with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a Lebek fielder's choice and ensuing UNC error.

Davidson, the A-10 Tournament Champions, then added two runs in each the fourth and fifth innings to lead 8-0 before the Tar Heels began to chip away, scoring a run in the sixth and three more in the seventh.

For more information about the 2017 NCAA Chapel Hill Regional, visit the Tournament Central links above or at davidsonwildcats.com