BERKELEY— The California baseball team dropped its first series of the season Saturday falling in game two to No. 15 North Carolina 6-2 at Stu Gordon Stadium.
For the first time this season the Golden Bears (13-6, 0-2) have dropped three straight contests. The Tar Heels earned their fourth straight win and improved to 16-3-1 overall with a 3-2 ACC mark.
North Carolina took the lead in the first inning scoring a run on an infield single and a seeing-eye single. The Tar Heels collected three more hits in the third to score a pair and extend their lead to 3-0.
Cal got a baserunner into scoring position in the first two innings and got a Bear aboard in four of the first five frames but could not get on the board. That all changed in the bottom of the sixth when freshman shortstop
Jett Kenady crushed a two-out, two-run homer to left field to make it a one-run ball game.
UNC punched right back, scoring two runs on a two-out rally in the next half inning to extend the lead to 5-2. Cal brought the tying run to plate in the bottom of the seventh but saw the inning end by way of a double play.
Ethan Foley turned in his second quality start of the season going six full innings and allowing just three earned, but was charged with the loss. The senior scattered six hits and a walk while striking out five.
Jordy Lopez had a solid outing in relief hanging a zero in the ninth with a walk and a strikeout. On the offensive end six different Bears collected a single hit including designated-hitter
Hideki Prather who led off the game with a double.
The Bears will look to avoid being swept for the first time this season in tomorrow's series finale. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. on ACCNX.
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