UNC Baseball off to 8-1 start to the 2022 college baseball season
The UNC baseball program is off to their best start to the season since Scott Forbes took over as the team’s head coach.
The college baseball season is underway, and the UNC baseball program is off to a very hot start.
It all started in Chapel Hill, as the Tar Heels hosted Seton Hall for a three-game opening weekend series. North Carolina’s offense quickly came alive, as they outscored the Pirates 40-6 to take home their first series victory and sweep of 2022.
Following the Seton Hall series, the Tar Heels defeated Elon in a Tuesday afternoon contest and then took two out of three games against East Carolina. For the first time in two years, Scott Forbes’ team played in back-to-back midweek games against Longwood and Winthrop, both of which resulted in Tar Heels victories.
With their now 8-1 record, North Carolina has their best start since the beginning of the 2019 season. Over the early stretch of games, the Tar Heels have benefitted from some steady contributions from some key players.
Offensively, sophomore Johnny Castagnozzi is leading the way with his team-best .452 batting average. Freshman Vance Honeycutt has quickly made a name for himself, as he’s hit five early-season homers to go along with 15 runs scored. Honeycutt has been a menace on the base paths, as he’s already had a handful of multi-stolen base games and is 10-10 in steal opportunities.
On the pitching end, Max Carlson has been a bright spot in the Tar Heels rotation. The sophomore right-hander has not allowed a run over his 9.2 innings of work, as North Carolina has won both of his early-season starts.
After making just 25 appearances during the 2021 season, left-hander Shawn Rapp is well on his way to surpassing that this season. The Mendham, New Jersey native has been a workhorse out of the bullpen, as he’s made appearances in seven of the team’s 9 games. Over his seven innings of work, the left-hander has not allowed an earned run and has shown why Forbes has so much trust in him, especially in big situations.
Looking to keep their success going, the UNC baseball program will host Coastal Carolina (7-2) for a three-game set in Chapel Hill beginning on Friday.
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