Bullpen Locks Down Diamond Heels Win Over Seton Hall, 4-2

Sunday, February 19

Chapel Hill, N.C.

1 p.m.

North Carolina

2-1

Seton Hall

1-2

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

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Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI

February 19, 2023 | Baseball

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Junior college transfer Jackson Van De Brake hit a three-run home run in UNC's four-run second inning, and the Tar Heels defeated Seton 4-2 on Sunday to earn a season-opening series win at Boshamer Stadium.

UNC relievers Dalton Pence, Justin Szestowicki and Ben Peterson closed the out the game, allowing just three hits while fanning a combined 10 over the final 5.1 scoreless innings. Pence (1-0) earned his first collegiate victory, yielding one hit in 2.1 and striking out four in 2.1 innings pitched. Szestowicki pitched a scoreless seventh and Peterson struck out three in the final two frames to earn his first save.

"Our starters did go as deep as we would have liked them too [in the series], but that can be normal early in the season," UNC head coach Scott Forbes said. "We're not big on going 100-110 pitches early.

"We started the season with Dalton as out potential closer, but we thought today that he needed to pitch so we put him in. [Szestowicki] gave us one which was huge. We're not sure who is going to be our closer, but Ben Peterson sure did look like one today."

The Tar Heels' (2-1) winning rally started with two outs in the second inning. Hunter Stokely drew a lead-off walk, but the next two batters were retired which brought Patrick Alvarez to the plate, and he promptly walked on four pitches.

Van De Brake, who struck out in his only previous at-bat of the season Saturday, jumped on the first pitch from Jon Downing (0-1) and smashed it over the left field wall.

"This is my first year here, so they don't have any numbers," Van De Brake said. "I'm just looking fastball and I ran into one."

Downing then walked Colby Wilkerson and Vance Honeycutt drove him in with a triple to center field.

With a four-run lead, UNC starting pitcher Connor Bovair pitched a scoreless third before allowing two runs in the fourth and giving way to Pence with two outs, a runner on second base and the tying run at the Plate.

Pence struck out Devin Hack to end the frame.

Seton Hall (1-2) brought the tying-run to the plate again in the fifth inning, but just as he had done in the fourth inning, Pence ended the inning with a strikeout.

"I like game that are tight and getting out there with runners in scoring position or on-base, it makes the game more interesting and makes me more locked in on the pitches I need to make," Pence said. "Credit to my teammates. I had confidence in them, and they had confidence in me."

Seven different Tar Heels got a hit, but no one got more than one as they drew seven walks.

The Tar Heels return to action Tuesday, Feb. 21, against Radford. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Boshamer Stadium.