Diamond Heels Take Finale From Virginia Tech

Sunday, April 3

Chapel Hill

1 p.m.

North Carolina

20-8, 6-6

Virginia Tech

17-7, 5-5

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Virginia Tech	0	3	1	0	1	0	0	1	0	6	13	2
North Carolina	0	2	4	0	1	3	0	0	X	10	11	0

Box Score (PDF)

Eric Grintz

Photo by: Joe Bray

April 3, 2022 | Baseball

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By: Jody Jones

CHAPEL HILL – Eric Grintz went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs to help No.18 North Carolina defeat Virginia Tech,10-6, at Boshamer Stadium on Sunday, ending the Diamond Heels' five-game ACC losing streak.

Carolina improved to 20-8 overall and 6-6 in the ACC, while the Hokies fell to 17-7 overall and 5-5 in conference play.

After falling behind 4-2, UNC plated four runs in the bottom of the third inning behind a pair of two-out, two-run doubles from Grintz and Vance Honeycutt. Johnny Castagnozzi reached on an error to lead off the inning and Mac Horvath drew a one out walk.

After Tomas Frick flew out, Grintz doubled to right center field off the glove of diving right fielder Nick Biddison scoring both runners.
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Hunter Stokely then drew a walk and Mikey Madej followed with a single to load the bases for Honeycutt, who drove in two of his three runs on the day.

The teams exchanged runs in the fifth with UNC getting a run on Grintz's first career home run before Horvath belted a two-run homer and Stokely drove in run in the sixth to open a 10-5 lead.

Carolina used six pitchers with Shawn Rapp (2-0) picking up the win out of the bullpen and Brandon Schaeffer earning his first save of the season, striking out one and inducing a game-ending double play. Virginia Tech's Ryan Kennedy took the loss, surrendering three runs on six hits in 2.0 innings pitched.

NOTABLES
• North Carolina improved to 18-2 at home this season and 21-3 all-time against Virginia Tech at Boshamer Stadium. The Diamond Heels are 80-31-2 all-time against the Hokies.
• For the first time since April 4, 2021, Angel Zarate did not reach base, ending his consecutive games streak at 50 games.
• Grintz hit his first career home run in the fifth inning. Grintz, who made his first start of the year, began the season 5-for-5 with three walks and a sacrifice fly before grounding out to the pitcher in the sixth. His four RBIs matched his career-high (4 vs. Elon, 2020).
• Madej posted his second consecutive two-hit game and has three multi-hit games this season.
• Rapp tossed a season-high 2.1 innings. It was only the third time this season he was used for 2.0 or more innings in 20 appearances.
• Schaeffer made his first relief appearance of the season after making seven starts.
• Carolina scored double digit runs for the fifth time this season and second time in ACC play (10 at Duke, March 18, 2022).
• The Diamond Heels improved to 13-1 this season when collecting 10 or more hits with their lone loss coming in the series opener at Miami (Fla.).

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Virginia Tech scored three runs in the top of the second, two on a home run by Carson DeMartini and another on Christian Martin's solo home run (VT 3, UNC 0).
• Carolina answered with two runs in the bottom of second with Danny Serretti scoring on a sacrifice fly by Eric Grintz and Mac Horvath on a bases loaded walk to Vance Honeycutt (VT 3, UNC 2).
• Eduardo Malinkowski singled to center field to plate Jack Hurley in the top of the third (VT 4, UNC 2).
• Grintz and Honeycutt each smacked a two-run double in the bottom of the fourth (UNC 6, VT 4).
• Hurley scored on a bases loaded walk to DeMartini in the top of the fifth (UNC 6, VT 5).
• Grintz hit a home run over the video board to lead off the fifth inning (UNC 7, VT 5).
• Horvath launched two-run homer beyond the left field wall in the sixth and Hunter Stokely drove in the third run of the inning with a base hit to left (UNC 10, VT 5).
• Gavin Cross homered with two outs in the top of the eighth (UNC 10, VT 6).

UP NEXT
The Diamond Heels are slated to head to Charlotte on Tuesday, April 5, to play South Carolina at Truist Field. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m.