Carolina Completes Series Sweep with 3-2 Win Over JMU

Sunday, February 21

Chapel Hill, N.C.

1 PM

North Carolina

3-0

James Madison

0-3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
James Madison	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	6	0
North Carolina	0	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	X	3	3	1

Brett Centracchio

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

February 21, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Aury St. Germain

CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina (3-0) needed just three hits in the series finale to complete the sweep over James Madison (0-3) on Sunday, as North Carolina edged the Dukes 3-2 on Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium.

After James Madison scored a first-inning run, Brett Centracchio launched his first home run as a Tar Heel to lead off second inning on a full count. The dinger traveled 412 feet over the right-field fence to tie the contest.

JMU posted a run in the third to take its second lead of the game (2-1) with an RBI fielder's choice.

It took until the fifth inning for the Tar Heel's offense to strike again, this time an RBI triple from Angel Zarate. After Mac Horvath drew a lead-off walk, Zarate, battling a two-strike count, launched the baseball to left-center field to tie the game.

A batter later, Zarate scored a wild pitch to give Carolina its final lead of the game.

Max Alba gave Carolina its third-straight impressive start as he pitched 5.0 innings, which yielded four hits, two runs (both earned), a walk and six strikeouts.

Austin Love, Max Carlson and Alba combined to allow seven hits and four earned runs over 17 2/3 innings throughout the weekend. They struck out 23 batters and walked four.

The biggest moment from the Tar Heel bullpen came from Shawn Rapp, who with a full count and the bases loaded, slammed the door in the seventh inning with his first strikeout of the evening.

The Tar Heels completed the season-opening sweep for the second consecutive season after beating Middle Tennessee State three times in 2020.

North Carolina returns to the field Tuesday against Elon at Boshamer Stadium. First pitch is slated for 3:30 p.m.

Notes

Brett Centracchio recorded his first home run in Carolina Blue.
Caleb Roberts finished the weekend 5-for-11 with two home runs, a double, a triple and 8 RBI. He ended the series slugging 1.273 with a .571 on-base percentage.
Justice Thompson ended the weekend 5-for-12 with a pair of doubles, a home run and 3 RBI.
Tomas Frick recorded his first hit as a Tar Heel.

Postgame Quote

Scott Forbes
On the series sweep…
We talk about hanging our hat on pitching and defense and I thought that other than the one error early, we were outstanding in that category. I tell our guys all the time 'you can't expect to hit well every game and win' and I thought we did a great job in the field. I thought Max Alba threw better as he went and had his best stuff late. Caden (O'Brien) threw great and Shawn Rapp, after two walks, made a tough pitch to get us out of the seventh. Connor Ollio was rewarded with the save for being such a great leader and making the most out of his opportunity out of the bullpen.