CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (Interstat) — North Carolina took control with a three-run second inning and never looked back, defeating East Carolina 9-3 on Sunday at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels improved to 48-11-1 while the Pirates dropped to 38-24-1.

Both teams finished with nine hits, but North Carolina capitalized on two East Carolina errors and a series of clutch two-out hits. The Tar Heels scored in four different innings, with the decisive outburst coming in the bottom of the second after East Carolina had taken a 3-2 lead on a Grady Lenahan home run in the top of the third.

North Carolina’s offense started early. In the bottom of the first, a fielding error by East Carolina shortstop Parham allowed an unearned run to score, and a single by Howe brought home another unearned run to make it 2-1. The Pirates had taken a 3-2 lead in the top of the third when Lenahan hit his ninth home run of the season, a solo shot to left field.

But the Tar Heels responded immediately. In the bottom of the second, Owen Hull was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in the tying run. Erik Paulsen then delivered a two-run single through the right side, giving North Carolina a 5-3 lead. The inning was aided by three walks and a hit batter.

North Carolina extended its lead in the third. After another error by Parham, Hull singled up the middle to drive in two runs, and Winslow added a sacrifice fly to center field, making the score 8-3. That proved more than enough for a pitching staff that shut down East Carolina for most of the game.

East Carolina attempted to rally in the top of the fifth. A Lenahan single drove in a run, and Michael Kalinich followed with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 8-5. But the Pirates could not get closer. North Carolina turned a double play to end the inning, and reliever Jackson Rose entered in the sixth and dominated.

Rose pitched four scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out four. He retired 12 of the 13 batters he faced, only a walk marring his outing. It was a strong bounce-back performance for Rose, who had struggled in his previous start, allowing four earned runs over 2.1 innings in a loss to Georgia Tech.

The Tar Heels added an insurance run in the seventh when Schaffner doubled to left-center, scoring Hynek and making it 9-3. East Carolina reliever Gavin Marley struck out three over 1.2 scoreless innings, but the Pirates’ offense could not mount a further challenge.

For East Carolina, Joseph Webb pitched 3.1 innings of one-hit relief, allowing one earned run while striking out three. Folger Boaz of North Carolina allowed five hits and one earned run over 3.1 innings, striking out four. Walker McDuffie gave up two earned runs in 1.2 innings for the Tar Heels.

Lenahan finished 2 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs for the Pirates. Kalinich went 2 for 3 with an RBI. For North Carolina, Hull went 1 for 3 with three RBIs, Paulsen was 2 for 5 with two RBIs, and Schaffner doubled and drove in a run.

The game featured several defensive miscues. East Carolina committed two errors, both by the same shortstop, leading to four unearned runs. North Carolina played error-free baseball.

North Carolina’s previous meeting with East Carolina on Saturday ended in a 7-5 Tar Heels victory. The teams also played a three-game series in February, with North Carolina winning 10-0, East Carolina winning 10-3, and the final game ending in a 3-3 tie.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of East Carolina 8, North Carolina 7. The ELO system gave North Carolina a 70.80 percent probability to win. North Carolina was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 3.5.