UNC Walks Off UNCW In Thrilling 7-6 Game One Victory

Friday, May 31

Chapel Hill, N.C.

2 p.m.

North Carolina

43-17

UNCW

32-30

UNCW

North Carolina

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

May 31, 2019 | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery I Photo Gallery II Photo Gallery III Play By Play Season Stats Box Score

By: T.J. Scholl

Chapel Hill, N.C. – North Carolina scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to walk off UNCW, 7-6, in thrilling fashion to win game one of the Chapel Hill Regional. Aaron Sabato hit the game-tying home run on the first pitch of the ninth inning before a three hour and one minute lightning and rain delay stalled both teams. After the delay, the Tar Heels loaded the bases with no outs before Danny Serretti got caught in a run down at third base and eventually scored on an errant throw to home plate.

Key Moments

Hitting leadoff for the first time this year, Michael Busch doubled off the centerfield wall on the second pitch of the game. After a fly ball to deep centerfield moved Busch to third, Ike Freeman laced a two-out, two-strike single back up the middle to give UNC a 1-0 lead.
In the second inning UNCW tried the suicide squeeze to tie the game, but Tyler Baum fielded the bunt quickly and flipped it to Brandon Martorano for the tag out at home to preserve the 1-0 lead for the Heels.
Dallas Tessar launched a two-run home run in the second inning to give the Heels a 3-0 lead.
UNCW scored its first run in the fourth inning off a sacrifice fly to centerfield to make it 3-1 for the Tar Heels.
With the two outs, the bases loaded and a full count in the bottom of the fifth inning, Brandon Martorano thought he earned a walk, but the umpire called strike three to end the inning as the Seahawks escaped a big jam.
UNCW took that momentum in to the sixth inning as they blasted a solo home run to lead off the inning and make it a 3-2 game.
Also in the sixth inning, back-to-back singles eventually lead to runners on second and third for UNCW before a double to the left field wall scored both Seahawks for the 4-3 UNCW lead.
In the seventh inning, Ike Freeman lined his second RBI single through the left side as Aaron Sabato scored from second to tie the game, 4-4. Not to be outdone, Martorano singled up the middle with two outs to score Freeman to give the Heels a 5-4 lead.
In the top of the ninth inning Austin Love looked to induce the game-ending double play, but an error from Ashton McGee at second base allowed a UNCW runner to score from third to tie the game, 5-5.
With two outs, UNCW singled down the third base line to score the go-ahead run and make it 6-5. The throw from left field by Dallas Tessar was right on line, but Martorano couldn't get the tag over in time.
Aaron Sabato tied the game on the first pitch in the bottom of the 9^th with a solo home run to left field to make it 6-6.
After Sabato tied the game, the game went in to a 3 hour and one minute lightning and rain delay with Danny Serretti on first after a walk.
Ike Freeman and Brandon Martorano ended up walking to loaded the bases with no outs. Serretti broke from home on an attempted suicide squeeze but Dylan Harris didn't put the bunt down so Serretti was stuck in a pickle between third and home. He broke for home and a wild throw from UNCW sailed over the plate and Serretti scored to win the game, 7-6.

Notables

Michael Busch has now reached base in 33 consecutive games. The last time he didn't reach base was on March 29 against Duke, over two months ago.
UNC scored in the first inning against UNCW, making it the 26^th time the Tar Heels have scored in the first inning. The Heel are 24-2 in games they have scored in the first inning. UNC is also 27-6 in games in which they have scored first.
Dallas Tessar hit his first home run of the season in the second inning with a two-run shot to left field. Tessar now has at least one RBI in three of his last six hits.
Tessar now has a career high 5 game hitting streak.
With his third inning walk, Aaron Sabato has reached base in a career best 23 consecutive games.
Ike Freeman record his 12th multi-RBI game of the season.
In the bottom of the 9^th inning, Aaron Sabato hit his 15^th home run of the season. His 15 home runs tied Chad Flack for the most home runs by a freshman in UNC school history. Flack hit 15 home runs in 2005.
Tonight marked the first time UNC trailed in the ninth inning of an NCAA Tournament game and came back to win since the 12-11, 13-inning win over Florida Atlantic in the 2013 Chapel Hill Regional championship game.
UNC is 17-1 when they hit 2 or more home runs in a game.
The Heels are now 17-14 in games when they are out hit by opponents.
UNC has now hit 70 home runs on the season, putting them in fourth place all-time for most home runs hit by a UNC team in a single season. The 2003 team hit 71 home runs, 2007 hit 72 and 2006 hit 83.
After going 2-for-3 with two RBIs in tonight's win over UNCW, junior Ike Freeman is batting .454 (20-for-44) with nine RBIs in 10 career NCAA Tournament games. His 18 hits were the most by any UNC player during last
Tonight's walk-off win is the first in an NCAA Tournament game since the 6-5 Super Regional victory over South Carolina on June 8, 2013.

Pitcher Records
Win: North Carolina, Austin Love (7-4)
Lose: UNCW, Henry Ryan (4-5)

Up Next:
North Carolina will play the winner of the game between Tennessee and Liberty tomorrow at 4 p.m.

Social Media
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