Baseball Drops Season Opener To Seton Hall

Friday, February 17

Chapel Hill, N.C.

4 p.m.

North Carolina

0-1

Seton Hall

1-0

Seton Hall

North Carolina

Colby Wilkerson

Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI

February 17, 2023 | Baseball

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By: UNC Athletics Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Seton Hall scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning and reliever Nick Payero pitched four scoreless innings to lead the Pirates over No. 12 North Carolina, 10-8, at Boshamer Stadium Friday in the season opener for both teams.

The Tar Heels (0-1) scored four runs in the sixth to rally from a four-run deficit to take an 8-7 lead. Mac Horvath drove in two runs with a double to centerfield before Casey Cook drew a bases loaded walk and freshman Austin Hawke pushed home the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly.

Redshirt freshman right-handed pitcher Justin Szestowicki put up a zero in the top of the seventh to keep the momentum with UNC, but the Tar Heels were unable to extend their lead.

The first three batter of the eighth for Seton Hall (1-0) each singled, and Jonathan Luders tied the game with a sacrifice fly to chase Penn transfer Kevin Eaise (0-1), who took over from Szestowicki to start the frame.

Will Gale singled through the right side to drive home the game-winning run and Devin Hack followed by lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to add an insurance run.

"It's the first game of the season, we've got 55 more regular season games," UNC head coach Scott Forbes said. "I thought we hit a ton of balls right on the nose, we just couldn't find that hole. This might be good for us to lose the first game. If you don't pitch and you're not fundamentally sound, any team in college baseball can beat you.

"We had good at bats throughout and at the end of the day when you score eight runs, we expect to win at North Carolina."

The Tar Heels managed just one hit off Payero (1-0), who struck out five of the 15 batters he faced and walked only one.

A three-run home run by Pat D'Amico in the top of the fourth gave Seton Hall a 6-2 advantage. He also singled home the first run of the game in the top of the first to finish with a game-high four RBIs.

Horvath went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and finished a single shy of the cycle. Tomas Frick collected two hits and Cook drove in two.

UNC used six pitchers in all with Nik Pry, Szestowicki and Ben Peterson each throwing 1.1 innings after starter Max Carlson tossed 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on three hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Seton Hall starting pitcher Brennan O'Neil last just 3.1 innings before being lifted, walking six but allowing only one run.