Friday, February 18
Chapel Hill
4 p.m.
North Carolina
1-0
14
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3
Seton Hall
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9
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Seton Hall
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North Carolina
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Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Tar Heels Use The Long Ball In Opening Day Rout
February 18, 2022 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL – Freshman Vance Honeycutt hit two of the North Carolina's five home runs in a 14-3 opening day victory over Seton Hall at Boshamer Stadium on Friday. It was the Tar Heels' fifth consecutive opening day win and their seventh lid lifting triumph over the Pirates.
Junior Danny Serretti had four of the Tar Heels' 15 hits, while sophomore Johnny Castagnozzi and Honeycutt recorded three hits each. Castagnozzi and Honeycutt also scored four runs apiece.
The bottom third of the order: Castagnozzi, Honeycutt and Patrick Alvarez combined for nine runs, seven hits and seven RBIs.
The Tar Heels were down 2-0 before coming to bat as Seton Hall left fielder Will Gale turned a leadoff single into a run and Devin Hack scored after being walked.
Carolina was quick to answer in the bottom half of the first. Leadoff hitter Angel Zarate and Serretti, who was batting second, hit back-to-back home runs to tie the game at two to begin the Tar Heels' offensive night.
With two runners on in the bottom of the second, Alvarez hit his first home run in nearly two years to give UNC a 5-2 advantage.
Honeycutt then hit a solo home run in the fourth and Carolina added three more runs in the sixth on a two-run single by Tomas Frick and a run scoring hit from Serretti for a 9-2 lead.
Carolina starting pitcher Brandon Schaeffer was lifted following six innings of work. After a rocky first inning, he held Seton Hall scoreless over the next five innings, striking out six and allowing just two hits.
Shawn Rapp came off out the Carolina bullpen to strike out three in two innings of work without allowing a hit.
Serretti drove in two more runs in the seventh inning and Honeycutt capped the Tar Heels' offensive burst with a three-run home run in the eighth.
The second game of the three-game series between Carolina and Seton Hall is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 19, at 2 p.m.
Junior Danny Serretti had four of the Tar Heels' 15 hits, while sophomore Johnny Castagnozzi and Honeycutt recorded three hits each. Castagnozzi and Honeycutt also scored four runs apiece.
The bottom third of the order: Castagnozzi, Honeycutt and Patrick Alvarez combined for nine runs, seven hits and seven RBIs.
The Tar Heels were down 2-0 before coming to bat as Seton Hall left fielder Will Gale turned a leadoff single into a run and Devin Hack scored after being walked.
Carolina was quick to answer in the bottom half of the first. Leadoff hitter Angel Zarate and Serretti, who was batting second, hit back-to-back home runs to tie the game at two to begin the Tar Heels' offensive night.
With two runners on in the bottom of the second, Alvarez hit his first home run in nearly two years to give UNC a 5-2 advantage.
Honeycutt then hit a solo home run in the fourth and Carolina added three more runs in the sixth on a two-run single by Tomas Frick and a run scoring hit from Serretti for a 9-2 lead.
Carolina starting pitcher Brandon Schaeffer was lifted following six innings of work. After a rocky first inning, he held Seton Hall scoreless over the next five innings, striking out six and allowing just two hits.
Shawn Rapp came off out the Carolina bullpen to strike out three in two innings of work without allowing a hit.
Serretti drove in two more runs in the seventh inning and Honeycutt capped the Tar Heels' offensive burst with a three-run home run in the eighth.
The second game of the three-game series between Carolina and Seton Hall is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 19, at 2 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Schaeffer, Brandon (1-0)
L: PAYERO,NICK (0-1)
Batting:
2B: SCOTTO,JUSTIN 1
HR: GROBER,STEVE 1
RBI: MCNELLY,MARK 1 ; GROBER,STEVE 1
Base Running:
RUNS: GALE,WILL 1 ; HACK,DEVIN 1 ; GROBER,STEVE 1
SB: GALE,WILL 2
HBP: SCOTTO,JUSTIN 1 ; SHEEHAN,COLLIN 1
Batting:
2B: Serretti, Danny 1 ; Castagnozzi, Johnny 1
HR: Zarate, Angel 1 ; Serretti, Danny 1 ; Honeycutt, Vance 2 ; Alvarez, Patrick 1
RBI: Zarate, Angel 1 ; Serretti, Danny 4 ; Frick, Tomas 2 ; Honeycutt, Vance 4 ; Alvarez, Patrick 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Zarate, Angel 2 ; Serretti, Danny 2 ; Madej, Mikey 1 ; Castagnozzi, Johnny 4 ; Honeycutt, Vance 4 ; Alvarez, Patrick 1
SB: Honeycutt, Vance 1
HBP: Castagnozzi, Johnny 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
2
H
4
RBI
4
AB
4
R
4
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
4
H
3
RBI
4
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
3B
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INF
/ Baseball
C
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LHP
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LHP
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SS
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OF
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