Sabato Homers Twice In 8-5 Loss To Notre Dame

Friday, March 6

Chapel Hill, N.C.

3 p.m.

North Carolina

10-5, 0

Notre Dame

8-2, 0

Notre Dame

North Carolina

March 6, 2020 | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery Photo Gallery II

By: Aury St. Germain

Box Score

CHAPEL HILL – Despite Aaron Sabato's pair of home runs, North Carolina fell to 10-5 (0-1) after dropping the Friday tilt 8-5 to Notre Dame to begin ACC play.

The Tar Heels fell behind 4-0 after the first three innings but continued to battle at the. North Carolina scored a pair of runs in the fourth before surrendering one in the sixth, to make it 5-2 in favor of the Fighting Irish heading into the seventh frame. Sabato's first home run was a two-run shot that came in the seventh inning to cut the lead to 5-4.

After giving up three combined runs in the eighth and ninth innings, Sabato's second home run of the evening came in the ninth inning to cut the lead to three runs.

Joey Lancellotti suffered his first loss of the season as he fell to 2-1.

Key Moments

Notre Dame took a 1-0 lead in the second inning after a solo home run to center field.
The Fighting Irish added another run after drawing a walk with the bases loaded in the third inning.
Notre Dame pushed the lead to 4-0 after a sacrifice fly and a base hit through the left side in the third inning.
The Tar Heels put their first run on the board in the fourth inning when Eric Grintz grounded to the third baseman after Danny Serretti singled and Joey Lancellotti doubled.
Dallas Tessar singled to left field to cut the Irish lead to two runs in the fourth inning.
Dylan Harris drew a leadoff walk in the fifth inning and was pushed to second after Aaron Sabato singled through the left side.
Both runners advanced on a wild pitch to set up Serretti with runners on second and third with one out in the fifth inning. Each runner was stranded after a pop-up and a strikeout.
Notre Dame scored in the top of the sixth inning with an RBI single to left field to claim a 5-2 lead.
Aaron Sabato cut the Notre Dame lead to just one run with a two-run home run in the seventh inning.
The Irish tacked on a run in the top of the eighth inning to take a 6-4 lead.
After a stolen base to advance into scoring position, Notre Dame singled to left field and scored on a wild pitch to take an 8-4 lead going into the bottom of the ninth inning.
Sabato mashed his second home run in the bottom of the night in the bottom of the ninth.

Noteworthy

Angel Zarate collected a hit for the seventh game in a row and has reached base in all 15 contests.
Zarate has finished with multiple hits in three-straight games and four out of his last five.
Aaron Sabato hit his third home run of the season.
Sabato was the first person to hit home runs in consecutive at-bats since he did it June 10, 2019 against Auburn.
Sabato's three hits were a season-high.
Sabato's three RBI were a season-high.
The Tar Heels fall to 0-1 in ACC play.
The loss stops a three-game winning streak.

Postgame Quotes

Head Coach Mike Fox
On opening ACC Play
"It is certainly disappointing to start the ACC season with a loss, but credit to Notre Dame and Link Jarrett. He is a good friend of mine and I was happy to be able to give a game ball for his first ACC win as a head coach. We did not do enough tonight and had an opportunity to get back into the game early but we were not good in the bullpen."

On Aaron Sabato's recent success
"The lights are a little brighter when league play gets here, and Aaron was really good in ACC play last year so it's not surprising what he did tonight. We were trying to keep the game close because we knew that if we did, we could get him an extra at-bat in the ninth. Aaron can get you a run or two very quickly, but we could not hold it down tonight."

Up Next
The Tar Heels are back at Boshamer Stadium tomorrow at 2 p.m. for game two.