CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (Interstat) — Tyler Howe’s walk-off single in the bottom of the 12th inning capped a dramatic comeback for North Carolina, which erased a six-run deficit to defeat Virginia 8-7 on Saturday in the first game of an Atlantic Coast Conference doubleheader at Boshamer Stadium.

The Tar Heels, who lost 13-3 to the Cavaliers on Friday, rallied from a 7-1 hole to even the series and improve their record to 13-3-1. Virginia fell to 13-3.

The most critical sequence of the game occurred in the bottom of the ninth inning. Trailing 7-5, North Carolina’s Howe led off with a solo home run to deep right field, his first of the season, to pull the Tar Heels within a run. Pinch-hitter Alex French followed with a single, and after a sacrifice bunt and a flyout, Gavin Gallaher delivered a two-out single to put the tying run 90 feet away. Virginia intentionally walked Vance Paulsen to load the bases, but reliever Tyler Kapa struck out Jackson Winslow to send the game to extra innings.

Virginia had taken command early, scoring three runs in the second inning and adding single runs in the third and fourth to build a 7-1 lead. Henry Murray hit a solo home run, his fourth, in the third inning for the Cavaliers.

North Carolina began its methodical climb back in the fifth. Alex Hynek’s RBI double and Gavin Gallaher’s run-scoring triple made it 7-3. In the sixth, a two-run double by Colin Hynek, plating two unearned runs following a Virginia error, cut the deficit to 7-5 and set the stage for the late-inning heroics.

The game remained 7-5 until the ninth, when Howe’s homer ignited the final push. After a scoreless 10th and 11th, Virginia scratched across a run in the top of the 12th on Anthony Jouras’ RBI triple to reclaim a one-run lead at 8-7.

North Carolina answered immediately in the bottom half. Pinch-runner Cameron Hargett, running for Winslow who walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Luke Hull’s game-tying double. After another wild pitch moved Hull to third, Virginia intentionally walked Hynek. Howe then laced a 1-2 pitch from reliever Angelo Lucarelli through the right side to score Hull and end the marathon contest.

The victory was anchored by a stellar relief performance from North Carolina’s Caden Glauber, who entered in the fourth inning and stifled the Cavaliers’ offense. Glauber pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run while striking out eight. His effort stabilized the game after Virginia’s early outburst and allowed the Tar Heels’ offense time to rally. Matthew Matthijs earned the win with 2 1/3 innings of relief, striking out five.

Virginia starter John Paone was effective early, pitching five innings of no-hit ball, though he was charged with three runs, all earned, with three walks and three strikeouts. The Cavaliers’ bullpen, which had been reliable, could not hold the large lead.

Both teams finished with 12 hits. Howe led North Carolina, going 2 for 5 with the crucial home run and two RBIs. Hynek drove in two runs on a 2-for-4 day. For Virginia, Jouras went 3 for 5 with an RBI triple.

The teams were scheduled to conclude the doubleheader later Saturday.