The No. 1 seed North Carolina Diamond Heels (44-13), led by junior outfielder Vance Honeycutt’s two home runs, defeated No. 2 seed LSU (41-22), 6-2, on Saturday night in game four of the Chapel Hill Regional at Boshamer Stadium.
In the top of the first inning, LSU’s Tommy White hit a single to left field that dropped under the glove of redshirt sophomore Casey Cook with one out. Josh Pearson then singled right back to junior pitcher Shea Sprague with two outs. Sprague was able to get out of the inning as first-year third baseman Gavin Gallaher made a diving stop and made the force out at third.
After LSU got runners on first and second with one down, North Carolina got out of the inning with an interference call at second base as the runner slid, delaying senior shortstop Colby Wilkerson’s opportunity to throw to first. However, UNC was unable to capitalize in the bottom of the inning after a single from first-year catcher Luke Stevenson.
Sprague was able to keep the Tiger bats at bay in the third inning, forcing three groundouts. In the bottom of the third, North Carolina advanced runners to first and second with two outs, but was unable to capitalize as senior first baseman Parks Harber struck out.
“I want to start with the way we pitched,” head coach Scott Forbes said. “That’s the backbone of every baseball game. If you pitch, you’re going to have a chance to win. I thought Shae was outstanding.”
After a four pitch leadoff walk and a flyout, LSU advanced runners to first and second off of a single to left field, ending the evening in the fifth for Sprague. On senior pitcher Ben Peterson’s first pitch, White grounded into a double play to end the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, graduate second baseman Alex Madera reached first on a bunt and then Wilkerson doubled down the right field line just over the first baseman’s outstretched glove to advance runners to second and third with one out. On the next at bat, Honeycutt blasted a three-run bomb to left field to give the Tar Heels a 3-0 lead.
“He got me the first two times, and I wasn’t on the fastball,” Honeycutt said. “So I just went up there and committed to the fastball and got one.”
Cook then singled up the middle, advanced to second base on a wild pick off attempt and then stole third on a wild pitch. However, North Carolina was unable to bring him home as graduate right fielder Anthony Donofrio struck out to end the inning.
