DURHAM, N.C. (Interstat) — Ryan Lynch pitched seven no-hit innings with nine strikeouts but a three-run first inning propelled Duke to a 3-1 victory over North Carolina on Friday, April 24, in an Atlantic Coast Conference game at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Lynch, a right-hander for the Tar Heels, did not allow a hit and walked only one batter while striking out nine over seven innings. He departed after the seventh having thrown 98 pitches. Matthew Matthijs finished the game with a scoreless eighth inning, striking out one and allowing no hits.

But Duke’s offense struck early, capitalizing on two errors by North Carolina to score three unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning. After a strikeout and a groundout to start the inning, Duke strung together consecutive singles by Jack Smith and Henry Strand. With runners on first and second, Michael DiMartini hit a grounder to right fielder Jay French. French’s fielding error allowed Smith to score from second and Strand to advance to third. Strand then scored when second baseman Alex Gallaher’s throwing error sent DiMartini to second, and DiMartini later scored on a second throwing error by Gallaher, making it 3-0.

North Carolina got its only run in the top of the eighth inning. Trailing 3-0, the Tar Heels loaded the bases on two walks and a hit-by-pitch against Duke starter Peter Lemke. Lemke was lifted after 7 2/3 innings in favor of Ben Dean. Dean hit Tyler Howe with a pitch to force in Jake Winslow, cutting the deficit to 3-1. But Dean struck out pinch-hitter Anthony Hynek looking to end the threat, then pitched a scoreless ninth with four strikeouts overall to earn the save.

Duke improved to 23-22 overall and 1-1 in the series after winning for the first time in the three-game set. North Carolina fell to 35-8-1 and lost for the second time in its last four games after dropping Thursday’s opener 3-1.

Lemke was the winning pitcher for Duke, allowing one run on five hits with one strikeout and three walks over 7 2/3 innings. He rebounded from two rough outings earlier in April, including a start against Boston College in which he allowed two earned runs in five innings and a relief appearance against North Carolina State where he gave up six earned runs in 1 2/3 innings.

Duke’s offense managed only five hits off Lynch and Matthijs combined, but the three-run first inning proved decisive. Coltin Quagliano went 2 for 3 with a single and an infield single for the Blue Devils. Collin Anderson went 2 for 3 with a single and an infield single. Strand and Smith each had one hit.

North Carolina’s Jake Schaffner went 2 for 4 with a double and a single. Tyler Howe went 1 for 2 with a hit-by-pitch and the RBI. Cooper Nicholson went 1 for 2 with a double and was hit twice. Michael DiMartini went 0 for 4 for Duke.

The Tar Heels grounded into three double plays, ending potential rallies in the second, fourth and sixth innings. North Carolina left seven runners on base.

The series continues Saturday with North Carolina again at Duke. The Tar Heels return home to host Coastal Carolina on Tuesday before a second series against Duke on May 3 in Chapel Hill. Duke plays host to Queens (N.C.) on Tuesday before traveling to Georgia Tech for a three-game series the following weekend.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of North Carolina 8, Duke 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected North Carolina with a 67.50 percent probability to win.