Scott Forbes' decision to switch up his starting rotation for the Chapel Hill Regional paid off big-time in the Tar Heels opening game.
Instead of going with ace Jason DeCaro, Forbes trusted his other stud right-hander, Ryan Lynch, with the task of pitching the opener against VCU. Lynch was more than ready for the opportunity, putting together a dominant start that has set up UNC nicely for the remainder of the weekend.
Lynch was on from the first pitch he threw to the 108th pitch (a 96 MPH fastball to end the seventh inning). The right-hander allowed just two hits, generating a ton of ground ball outs.
Once Lynch set the tone in the top half of the first inning, the offense gave him some wiggle room to work with. Holding a 3-0 lead after one full inning of play, Lynch made it feel like the game was over, as he put together arguably the most dominant start of his collegiate career on Friday night in front of the home crowd.
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With Lynch being able to pitch deep into the game, Scott Forbes only had to call on his bullpen to record six outs. Walker McDuffie relieved Lynch in the eighth, needing less than 15 pitches to retire the side, while Matthew Matthijs came in for the ninth after UNC added four more insurance runs in their final at-bat of the night. Matthijs was dominant as well, striking out the side to close out the game, sending UNC to the winner's bracket game on Saturday night at the Bosh.
Given what occurred in the other game in Chapel Hill between ECU and Tennessee, a 14-inning affair in which both teams exhausted a ton of pitching, the Tar Heels have a clear advantage heading into Saturday's action. DeCaro is expected to start against ECU, while the stable of arms in the bullpen are mostly fresh to follow once he's done on the mound. Other than Lynch, you can expect everyone to be available, including both McDuffie and Matthijs, and let's not forget, Caden Glauber, the ACC Freshman of the Year, is fresh and ready to go as well.
Ryan Lynch's outstanding performance could set the tone for UNC's quest for a ticket to Omaha. In May and June, you need dominant pitching from your starting rotation, and Lynch provided the Tar Heels with that and more on Friday night.
Scott Forbes rolled the dice with this decision, one that looks like an amazing call following the opening victory at the Chapel Hill Regional over VCU.
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