CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Freshman Seth Baldwin connected on two of No. 1 North Carolina's season-best five home runs, and the Tar Heels' pitching staff carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning Tuesday in a 17-0 win over Princeton at Boshamer Stadium. Baldwin took advantage of his first career start with a single-game high six RBI for Carolina this season.

Baldwin, who was 4-for-4 with four runs scored and the six RBI, singled in the second, doubled in the fifth, belted a grand slam in the sixth and connected on solo homer in the eighth. Greg Holt, Dustin Ackley and Levi Michael also homered.

Ben Bunting was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, Michael was 2-for-4 with four RBI and Ackley was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Mark Fleury, Ryan Graepel and Mike Cavasinni each added two hits, as the Tar Heels (15-2) matched their season-best with 20 hits and scored a season-high 17 runs.

Right-hander Patrick Johnson (1-0) did not allow a hit over five innings, walked four and struck out six. He faced just two over the minimum through five. In two career starts against the Tigers (3-3), Johnson has allowed just one hit and fanned 13 batters over 10 innings.

Jimmy Messer, Garrett Davis and Brian Moran followed with four innings of shutout relief. Princeton's Greg Van Horn broke up the Tar Heels' bid for their first combined no-hitter with two out in the eighth on a single to right center.

Tiger starter Dan Barnes (0-1) faced just five batters in the first, allowed two runs on two hits and a walk and struck out two.

The Tar Heels took a first-inning lead with a two-out rally sparked by a walk and a stolen base by Ackley. Kyle Seager singled to left to drive in the first run, stole the second base of the inning and then scored when Garrett Gore sent a single to center for a 2-0 lead.

Michael plated two more for Carolina in the second with a triple off the top of the right field wall. Baldwin and Bunting started a second two-out rally with singles before Michael struck to drive in his 11th and 12th runs in the last five games.

A third straight two-out rally staked the Tar Heels to a 5-0 lead through three. Fleury and Graepel singled to put runners on the corners for Cavasinni, who dropped a single in front of Princeton right fielder Brian Berkowitz to score Fleury with the fifth run of the afternoon.

Carolina added three more two-out runs in the fifth to push the lead to 8-0. Fleury reached on an error to lead off the inning and scored from second when Baldwin laced his first career double just inside the third base bag. Bunting followed with a single through the right side to score Baldwin, and Ackley singled through the left side two batters later to send Bunting to the plate with the final run of the inning.

The Tar Heels broke things open in the sixth courtesy of the long ball, grabbing a 15-0 lead. Consecutive one-out singles from Fleury, Graepel and Cavasinni loaded the bases for Baldwin, who sent an opposite field grand slam to left on an 0-1 pitch from Brad Gemberling for his first career homer.

Bunting doubled to left on the next pitch, and Michael connected on the next offering for an opposite field two-run shot, his team-high sixth and his fourth from the left side. Four pitches later, Ackley belted his fifth home run in the last five games off the batter's eye to close a seven-run inning for Carolina for the third time this season and the second straight game.

Baldwin hit the first pitch thrown by Chad Ohlendorf out to right to lead off the eighth, and Holt followed two batters later with his first career home run to right center for the 16th and 17th runs of the afternoon for the Tar Heels.

The Tar Heels and Tigers return to action Wednesday at 3 p.m.