The No. 18 North Carolina baseball team (25-15, 9-10) lost 6-2 to No. 20 Boston College (27-12, 12-9) in game three of the series on Sunday, marking the first time they have been swept in ACC play season.
What happened?
Boston College jumped on UNC junior starting pitcher Jake Knapp in the first inning – who threw 38 pitches in the first frame – after loading the bases with just one out off of a double and two consecutive walks. A single to right field off the bat of outfielder Cameron Leary gave Boston College the early 1-0 lead. North Carolina responded by getting runners on the corners, but a pop out ended the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, junior catcher Tomas Frick doubled off the right field wall, advancing sophomore outfielder Vance Honeycutt to third. On the next at bat, junior first baseman Hunter Stokely singled to center field, driving in both Honeycutt and Frick, giving the Diamond Heels their first lead of the inning. A double play ended the fourth, with North Carolina leading 2-1.
The Eagles answered in the fifth inning off of a sacrifice fly to center field that drove in first baseman Joe Vetrano from third, tying the game 2-2. North Carolina escaped a jam in the sixth, as Boston College advanced runners to second and third off of a wild pitch from junior pitcher Matt Poston. In the bottom of the inning, UNC was unable to capitalize with Frick on base.
To lead off the seventh, Vetrano doubled into the right field gap off of UNC first-year pitcher Cameron Padgett. With the bases loaded and one out, the Eagles took the lead thanks to a single from catcher Adonys Guzman to left field. On the next at bat, Boston College singled to left, driving in another run, followed by a sacrifice fly to center, extending the Eagles’ lead to 5-2.
The Eagles tacked on another run to start the eighth off of a solo shot from outfielder Travis Honeyman. North Carolina was unable to respond, as Boston College got out of the inning after junior second baseman Jackson Van De Brake grounded into a double play. After loading the bases with one out, UNC was unable to complete the comeback in the ninth, as junior shortstop Colby Wilkerson grounded into a double play.
Who stood out?
Stokely continued his hot streak, going 3-4 with two RBIs on the day for the Diamond Heels. Honeycutt also had a solid day at the plate, tallying two hits on four at bats. Combined, Stokely and Honeycutt accounted for five of UNC’s seven hits on the day.
