The No. 8 North Carolina baseball team lost its second consecutive game on Wednesday, falling to St. John's at Boshamer Stadium, 5-2.
What happened?
Junior right handed pitcher Taylor Sugg took the hill for the Tar Heels and quickly recorded a three-up, three-down first inning, striking out one batter in the process. UNC (2-3) was unable to do any damage in the bottom half of the inning. First baseman Michael Busch recorded a two-out walk, marking the fifth consecutive game he has reached base, but he was stranded one at bat later.
Sugg allowed a two-out walk in the top of the second, but quickly induced the next hitter into a groundout to end the inning. Catcher Cody Roberts got the lone hit in the second inning on a bunt. He then stole second base, but was quickly stranded as the next two batters were retired quietly.
In the third, shortstop Ike Freeman made a swift backhanded stab and threw across his body to prevent an infield single as part of another one-two-three inning for St. John’s (4-0).
Freeman then led off the bottom half of the inning with a single to left field. Two batters later, third baseman Kyle Datres knocked a single into center field, extending his hit streak to five games and moving Freeman to second base. Two straight outs left both runners stranded and the game remained scoreless.
In the fourth, Sugg allowed his first hit on a leadoff single. The next batter singled into left field and advanced to second on the throw while the other runner took third. Sugg then struck out a hitter to keep the runners at their bases. The next batter lined a hard ground ball to short that was misplaced by Freeman, allowing the runner to score the first run of the game from third. A sacrifice fly scored the second run of the game before Sugg was able to settle down and record the final out of the inning.
With men on first and second, pinch hitter Dallas Tessar recorded a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners in the bottom half of the fourth. His former JUCO teammate, center fielder Dylan Enwiller brought home the first run of the day for the Tar Heels on a flare single and his teammate, Roberts, scored the second run on the play after an error by the catcher.
Right handed pitcher Cooper Criswell replaced Sugg in the fifth and allowed a two-out single before retiring the side.
