CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (Interstat) — Ryan Lynch struck out five over seven shutout innings Friday night as North Carolina blanked VCU 8-0 at Boshamer Stadium.

Lynch allowed just two hits and walked none in a dominant start for the Tar Heels, who improved to 46-11-1. Matthew Matthijs struck out three in a perfect eighth, and Walker McDuffie worked a scoreless ninth.

North Carolina scored three runs in the first inning on Erik Paulsen’s two-run double and Cooper Nicholson’s RBI single. Nicholson added a solo homer in the third, his 16th of the season.

The Tar Heels broke the game open with four runs in the eighth. Carson Schaffner drove in a run with a single, Owen Hull tripled home another, Gavin Gallaher singled in Hull and Paulsen singled to score Gallaher. Nicholson finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Paulsen had two hits and three RBIs.

VCU managed only two hits against North Carolina pitching. Patrick Steitz took the loss, allowing four earned runs in four innings. Dawson Newman and Cooper Weygandt combined for the final four innings.

The Rams fell to 37-24 with the loss.