University of North Carolina Athletics
Tuesday, March 1
Chapel Hill
4 p.m.
North Carolina
vs
Longwood
Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI
Two Midweek Games On Tap For Diamond Heels
February 28, 2022 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL – For the first time in two years, North Carolina will play back-to-back midweek games hosting a pair of Big South foes this week. The Tar Heels will take on the Longwood Lancers Tuesday at 4 p.m. then welcome the Winthrop Eagles to Boshamer Stadium on Wednesday with the first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.
Longwood (2-5) was picked to finish last in the Big South, while Winthrop (3-5) was picked sixth in the conference's preseason coaches poll. Both teams were swept this past weekend with the Lancers dropping three games at Elon and the Eagles on the road at Liberty.
Tuesday's game will be just the second all-time meeting between the Diamond Heels and Lancers with UNC winning the lone previous matchup in 2009, 5-4.
Carolina and Winthrop have met 23 times previously with the Heels claiming victory 19 times. The teams last met in 2019 with UNC posting a 13-9 win.
Pitching Matchups
UNC, 6-1 overall, entered the D1 Baseball and USA Today Coaches polls this week, debuting at No. 24 following a 3-1 week that included a series win over East Carolina.
The Diamond Heels have outscored their opponents 54-16 through the first seven games with an OPS of .868. Freshman Vance Honeycutt leads the team with an OPS of 1.552, while sophomore Johnny Castagnozzi is second with a 1.244 OPS. The duo also ranks one and two on the team in batting average, hits, runs and total bases.
Although the offense has been potent early this season, the bullpen has been the Diamond Heels' strength. In 30.2 innings, UNC relief pitchers have compiled a 1.78 ERA with 47 strikeouts. Shawn Rapp has appeared in six of seven games and has an ERA of 0.00, while holding opposing hitters to a .160 batting average.
Senior Caden O'Brien has saved a pair of games and has seven strikeouts in 2.2 innings pitched.
Longwood (2-5) was picked to finish last in the Big South, while Winthrop (3-5) was picked sixth in the conference's preseason coaches poll. Both teams were swept this past weekend with the Lancers dropping three games at Elon and the Eagles on the road at Liberty.
Tuesday's game will be just the second all-time meeting between the Diamond Heels and Lancers with UNC winning the lone previous matchup in 2009, 5-4.
Carolina and Winthrop have met 23 times previously with the Heels claiming victory 19 times. The teams last met in 2019 with UNC posting a 13-9 win.
Pitching Matchups
| Longwood | Tuesday | 4 p.m. (ACCNX) | Winthrop | Wednesday | 4 p.m. (ACCNX) | |
| Opponent | LHP Andrew Melnyk (0-0, 0.00) | TBA |
| North Carolina | RHP Connor Bovair (1-0, 3.38 ERA) | TBD |
| Links | WATCH | LISTEN | WATCH | LISTEN |
UNC, 6-1 overall, entered the D1 Baseball and USA Today Coaches polls this week, debuting at No. 24 following a 3-1 week that included a series win over East Carolina.
The Diamond Heels have outscored their opponents 54-16 through the first seven games with an OPS of .868. Freshman Vance Honeycutt leads the team with an OPS of 1.552, while sophomore Johnny Castagnozzi is second with a 1.244 OPS. The duo also ranks one and two on the team in batting average, hits, runs and total bases.
Although the offense has been potent early this season, the bullpen has been the Diamond Heels' strength. In 30.2 innings, UNC relief pitchers have compiled a 1.78 ERA with 47 strikeouts. Shawn Rapp has appeared in six of seven games and has an ERA of 0.00, while holding opposing hitters to a .160 batting average.
Senior Caden O'Brien has saved a pair of games and has seven strikeouts in 2.2 innings pitched.
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
LHP
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