UNC Upset Pirates In Dominant Fashion

CHAPEL HILL, NC – Head Coach Forbes and the North Carolina Tar Heels took an 8-1 win over East Carolina Pirates at home in Boshamer Stadium Tuesday night. 

Prior to Tuesday’s game, the Tar Heels led the conference with 23 home runs and had a team batting average of .250 for the year.

Entering the first three innings of the match up it was a back and forth battle between the two teams with the score remaining 1-1 until the bottom of the 3rd inning.

Short stop Danny Serretti’s RBI allowed Justice Thompson to score and give UNC a 2-1 lead and two additional runs from Thompson and Roberts the bottom of the third advanced the Tar Heels to a 3-1 lead.

After a pinch-hit off the bat from Jake Holtzapple later in the frame and a dinger from Johnny Castagnozzi pushed the lead to 6-1.

Behind two RBI’s from players Danny Serretti and Thomas Frick, the Heels obtained another run in the seventh inning as Frick launched his first home run of the season.

Frick finished the matchup with his first three-hit game of his career leading the Tar Heels at the plate.

Incredible play by Serretti at the top of the fifth; ball bounces off the glove of Johnny Castagnozzi (INF) and a nice pick up by Saretti for an out at first base. The play is immediately called for further review.

After further discussion, the call is overturned allowing East Carolina’s Bryson Worrell to remain safe. Even with the unfortunate play call the player on 2nd was called out allowing the Heels to have no Pirate players on base with the advantage to score.

A wild pitch from in the eighth inning allowed Thompson to advance home from third base, taking North Carolina into their 8-1 lead over East Carolina. 

It was lights out for sophomore outfielder Justice Thompson causing havoc for the Pirates. Thompson showed off his ability to manage the field both offensively and defensively with four runs, two hits, two stolen bases, and two walks, now sitting at a .356 average, going into conference play with just the right mindset. 

North Carolina rotated three pitchers out on the field (Will Sandy, Nik Pry, and Connor Ollio). While opponent East Carolina rotated through seven pitchers in the entire game allowing several freshmen to take the mound and get a feel before conference play. 

Sophomore pitcher Nik Pry was awarded his first season win pitching 3.2 innings. During Pry’s time on the mound he was able to obtain five strikeouts, allowing the Pirates two hits, but no runs. 

North Carolina will compete against the Pirates again on Tuesday, March 30th in Greenville, North Carolina. However, the Tar Heels will take the field again this Friday, March 26th through Sunday, March 28th as they begin their weekend series against North Carolina State.