Graduate first baseman Hunter Stokely’s four hit, three RBI day helped No. 6 North Carolina (6-0) outlast East Carolina (2-4), 11-6, on Sunday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium.
Starting pitcher Jake Knapp lasted three innings and surrendered two runs on four hits, but struck out two batters. Sophomore reliever Folger Boaz recorded the win after pitching 3.1 innings and allowing no runs with three Ks.
Sophomore catcher Luke Stevenson put UNC on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first with a pulled home run down the first base line. His three-run shot scored junior center fielder Kane Kepley and graduate shortstop Alex Madera who each got on base after a walk and hit-by-pitch.
The 354-foot homer was North Carolina’s first of the season, after hitting a program-record 115 last year.
The Pirates got two runs back in the top of the third. It started with a pair of doubles, the first by infielder Alex Bouche who put himself in scoring position, before catcher Michael Kalinich drove him home with a double off the top of the left field wall.
A single to left field then drove home Kalinich from second, but a Pirate runner was thrown out at third by Stevenson to end the inning.
The next frame, junior pitcher Kyle Percival relieved Knapp and gave up a two-run homer that put the Pirates in the lead. The left-hander also recorded a wild pitch, walk and hit by pitch before getting pulled after getting only one out.
ECU added to its lead with a sacrifice fly to lead 5-3 after five and a half innings.
In the bottom of the fifth, North Carolina plated two runs to answer the Pirate’s rally and tie the game. Hunter Stokely’s RBI single tallied one run, while a sacrifice ground ball by Jackson Van De Brake scored another moments later.
