Love Tosses Complete Game, Strikes Out Nine In 5-1 Win Over No. 8 Louisville

Friday, May 14

Chapel Hill, N.C.

6 PM

North Carolina

22-22, 0

Louisville

26-16, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Louisville	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	6	0
North Carolina	0	2	1	0	2	0	0	0	X	5	11	0

Austin Love
University of North Carolina Baseball v N.C. State
Boshamer Stadium
Chapel Hill, NC
Friday, March 26, 2021

May 14, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Aury St. Germain

CHAPEL HILL – Austin Love struck out nine and threw a complete game as North Carolina topped No. 8 Louisville 5-1 in the series opener on Friday night on Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium.

Love's complete game was the first by a Tar Heel since Rodney Hutchison accomplished the feat on March 13, 2018 against North Carolina A&T. Dominant from the first pitch, his night was highlighted by three strikeouts in the seventh frame.

He walked just two batters in the contest and surrendered just one run. Tonight was the fifth time he has pitched seven-plus innings in 2021.

Mac Horvath led the Tar Heels at the plate, going 2-for-4 with four RBI and a home run.

The Minnesota native gave the Tar Heels the lead in the bottom of the second inning with his second home run in as many games, a two-run 397-foot home run to left-center.

After Love struck out his third batter of the game to end the third inning and strand the bases loaded, Angel Zarate belted a leadoff solo home run to put the Tar heels up 3-0.

Again the in the fifth, Horvath ripped a two-out 2RBI single through the left side with the bases loaded to extend the Tar Heel lead to 5-0. After three at-bats, Horvath had collected four RBI, which matched his season and career high.

The Cardinals scored their only run of the game when Henry Davis belted a leadoff home run in the sixth inning to cut the lead to four.

Tomas Frick collected three hits in the Tar Heels' victory as Zarate and Justice Thompson each added a pair.

The teams collide for game two tomorrow at 2 p.m. for game two of the three-game set.

Before Saturday's contest, Michael Oh, Dallas Tessar, Jake Holtzapple, Max Troiani, Kyle Blendinger, Brett Centracchio, and Chris Joyner will be honored as the 2021 senior class.