University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
James Madison
Baseball Opens 2021 Season With James Madison
February 18, 2021 | Baseball
The Rundown
Opponent:Â James Madison
Dates:Â Feb. 19-21
Site:Â Chapel Hill (Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium)
First Pitch: Friday, 3 p.m. / Saturday, 2 p.m. / Sunday, 1 p.m. (ET)
TV (Friday):Â Click Here
Listen: Click Here
Live Stats:Â Friday (Click Here), Saturday (Click Here), Sunday (Click Here)
Game Notes: North Carolina | James Madison
Pitching Matchups
Friday: RHP Austin Love (0-0) vs. RHP Hunter Entsminger (0-0)
Saturday: RHP Max Carlson (0-0) vs. RHP Nick Stewart (0-0)
Sunday: RHP Max Alba (0-0) vs. RHP Joe Vogatsky (0-0)
Top Storylines
• Carolina opens 2021 with a three-game home stand against James Madison. The teams have played 11 previous times with North Carolina holding a 9-1 advantage. This is the first meeting between the two programs since 2013.
• The Tar Heels were originally scheduled to play against Kentucky to begin the 2021 season, but the series was canceled because of COVID-related protocols within Kentucky's team.
• North Carolina was 12-7 a year ago. The Tar Heels started 6-0 with a series sweep against Middle Tennessee to open the year. After beating Elon, High Point and Dallas Baptist, the Tar Heels finished the year 6-7, including a 0-3 weekend against UNC's sole ACC competition, Notre Dame.
• For the first time since 1999, the Tar Heels are managed by a first-year skipper. Scott Forbes took the reigns from Mike Fox on Aug. 7, 2020, who wrapped up a legendary 22-year career at Carolina. He becomes just the fifth head coach of the Tar Heel baseball program since 1931.
• The Tar Heels return every pitcher who saw the mound last season. Gianluca Dalatri, who missed the 2020 with an injury, was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals on June 14.
• Joey Lancellotti, who served as the Tar Heel's Friday night starter and pitched a team-high 24.1 innings, highlights the group. Coming off of a hip injury, he will be featured out of the bullpen to begin the season.
• The ACC's leader in hits in 2020 with 29, Angel Zarate returns to the Diamond Heels off of incredible run in the 19 games of 2020. He paced the team with a .408 average and ended the season on an 11-game hitting streak. Zarate reached base in all 19 games in 2020. It was the longest on-base streak by a Tar Heel to start a season since Logan Warmoth opened 2017 with a 26-game streak.
Scouting the Dukes
• James Madison opens up the 2021 slate after finishing 10-6 in 2020. The Dukes ended their season beating Maryland, 4-2, in College Park.
• In 2019, JMU ended 31-26 with a 11-13 mark in the CAA.
• The Dukes return much of the 2020 squad, including redshirt freshman Chase DeLauter, who led the team with a .382 average. The two-way player also led the team with a 1.014 OPS, .559 slugging percentage and .455 on-base percentage. He also pitched 14.2 innings.
Meet the Team
• North Carolina welcomes 14 new faces to the 2021 squad. The incoming class features three pitchers and 11 position players.
• UNC welcomes right-handed pitchers Max Carlson, Cannon Pickell, and Tanner Quick.
• Highlighting the bunch is Max Carlson, who was rated as the No. 1 overall player in the state of Minnesota by Perfect Game out of high school.Â
• Seven of the 11 new position players are true freshman. Johnny Castagnozzi, Brandon Eike, Tomas Frick, Mac Horvath, Jack Riedel, Hunter Stokely and Colby Wilkerson will each don Carolina Blue for the first time in 2021.
• UNC picked up the No. 2 overall rated high schooler in the state of Minnesota in Mac Horvath. He was ranked as the state's best shortstop as well.
• Castagnozzi was rated as the No. 1 shortstop out of New York, while Riedel checked in as the No. 6 shortstop and No. 19 overall player out of Texas according to Perfect Game.
• North Carolina's roster will sport four transfer student-athletes to round out the incoming class. Brett Centracchio (Davidson), Max Riemer (Walter State), Justice Thompson (Northwest Florida) and Max Troiani (Bentley University) will all compete for playing time under Forbes.
Staff Changes
• Forbes retained the 2020 staff, including Bryant Gaines who was elevated to Assistant Head Coach / Recruiting Coordinator. Gaines will continue to lead the Tar Heel pitching staff.
• Jesse Wierzbicki leads the Carolina hitters and the analytic department, while assisting with overall gameplan.
• Forbes brought on Jason Howell, who served as a Tar Heel assistant coach from 2006-07. He brings 14 years of Division I coaching experience, which includes stops at UNCW and Georgia Tech.
• Every member of the coaching staff, including director of operations Dave Arendas, holds a degree from UNC.
