First baseman Erik Paulsenโs perfect night at the plate helped propel North Carolina to a seven-inning, 13-3 mercy-rule win over VCU on Wednesday at Boshamer Stadium.
Paulsen went 4-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs. He now has a team-high four home runs on the year. The Tar Heels improved to 7-1-1, while the Rams fell to 4-4. UNC has yet to lose at home this season.
Reliever Jackson Rose earned the win for the Tar Heels, striking out two while allowing one hit and one walk over three innings. VCUโs Felix Digiacomo took the loss, giving up two earned runs on four hits in two innings.
Rolled the Rams ๐ค#GoHeels x @WellsFargopic.twitter.com/h9i925YzPp
โ Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) February 25, 2026
Jake Schaffner also had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three doubles and three RBIs.
In the first inning, Paulsen got the offense going with a solo home run to give UNC the early lead. Two batters later, Owen Hull lined an RBI single to make it 2-0 at the end of the inning.
Absolute ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐
Paulie puts the folks over at KSS in danger with his third long ball of the season to put us in the lead. https://t.co/3EbSuNwAE5pic.twitter.com/htW9ob54tc
โ Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) February 25, 2026
After VCU scored its first run in the top of the third, Carolina responded with four runs in the bottom half. Outfielder Sawyer Black drew a bases-loaded walk, outfielder Carter French lined a two-run single up the middle and Schaffner followed with an RBI double to push the lead to 6-1.
VCUโs Quinn Maher delivered a two-run single to cut UNCโs lead to three, but those were the Ramsโ final runs of the night.
Paulsen launched his second home run of the game with a two-run shot, followed by Colin Hynekโs solo homer over the left-field wall, his first of the season.
Absolute ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐
Paulie puts the folks over at KSS in danger with his third long ball of the season to put us in the lead. https://t.co/3EbSuNwAE5pic.twitter.com/htW9ob54tc
โ Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) February 25, 2026
Hynek later added an RBI fielderโs choice in the sixth, and Schaffner ended the game with a two-run double.
The Tar Heels will host the Le Moyne Dolphins in a three-game series from Feb. 27 to March 1.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Baseball: UNC mercy rules VCU, 13-3