UNC Baseball: Tar Heels win ACC series against Notre Dame

The UNC baseball program picked up their second ACC series win of the season against Notre Dame taking two out of three from the Fighting Irish.

The UNC Baseball team earned an important series win this weekend beginning on Friday night with an offensive showcase.

The Diamond Heels struggled with pitching in game one of the three-game series against Notre Dame giving up eight runs, including giving up six across the third and fourth innings. Trailing 8-4 headed to the ninth inning, the Carolina offense came to life to put the Heels back on top by scoring six runs in the top of the ninth, capped off with a grand slam by Johnny Castagnozzi. The bullpen held off the Irish in the bottom of the ninth to secure a 10-8 win.

Game two was delayed from Saturday to Sunday due to inclement weather setting up a doubleheader.

In the first game of the doubleheader on Sunday, the Tar Heels jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the fifth thanks to an RBI double by Patrick Alvarez and an RBI single by Colby Wilkerson. In the sixth, Jackson Van De Brake provided another run on a solo home run to left field.

The Fighting Irish answered with a two-run home run of their own in the 7th inning cutting into the Carolina lead at 3-2. Luckily for the Diamond Heels, the offense once again had some offense up their sleeve for the 9th inning and gave the bullpen some insurance runs. Once again, it was Van De Brake providing a two-RBI single and putting the Heels up 5-2.

Connor Bovair went 8 innings allowing only 2 runs on 3 hits and striking out 8. Kevin Eaise came in for the 9th and picked up the save and gave the Diamond Heels the series win. Alvarez also came up with a highlight reel catch in the fourth inning.

Game three of the series didn’t see much to brag about for the Tar Heels as they gave up 9 runs on 10 hits and didn’t provide much offense themselves scoring only one run on a Vance Honeycutt solo shot to centerfield.

UNC now sits at 20-8 overall and 6-4 in the ACC. They are in third place in the coastal division behind Virginia and Miami.

The Tar Heels will be back in action Tuesday night in Charlotte at Truist Park versus currently ranked #9, South Carolina. You can get tickets here or watch the game on SEC Network+.

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