North Carolina beats Georgia Tech 10-2 for ACC title

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Aaron Sabato and Ashton McGee each hit two-run homers during a four-run sixth inning, and North Carolina won the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament title by beating Georgia Tech 10-2 on Sunday.

Michael Busch added a solo homer in the seventh, Brandon Martorano hit a three-run shot in the ninth and four pitchers combined on a four-hitter for the fifth-seeded Tar Heels (42-17).

They finished the tournament 4-0 and earned their seventh ACC title, their third since 2007.

The second-seeded Yellow Jackets (41-17) had just three hits and five baserunners after the first inning. They had their three-game winning streak snapped and were denied their 10th league title.

Busch led off the sixth with a bunt single off reliever Luke Bartnicki. Sabato followed with his drive that carried over the fence in right-center for his 14th homer of the season, moving him to within one of the school record for freshmen.

Danny Serretti chased Bartnicki with a single to left, and two batters later, McGee launched a homer off Jake Lee to the same seating section of the Triple-A Durham Bulls’ ballpark to put North Carolina up 5-1.

Winning pitcher Hansen Butler (4-0), working for the third straight day, struck out two and walked two in 2 2/3 innings of relief of starter Connor Collio.

After losing three of their final five regular-season games, the Tar Heels found their groove this week in nearby Durham. They needed extra innings to win both their games in pool play, then won two games in the four-team, single-elimination bracket by a combined 23-7.

Bartnicki (2-2) allowed hits to four of the six hitters he faced for Georgia Tech.

Georgia Tech took a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the third, with Jackson Webb scoring easily from third after Martorano’s pickoff throw kicked past Ike Freeman. The Yellow Jackets put just two more men on base the rest of the way.

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