Castagnozzi's Grand Slam Powers Rally Past Notre Dame

Friday, March 31

South Bend, Ind.

3 p.m.

North Carolina

19-7, 0

Notre Dame

13-10, 0

North Carolina

Notre Dame

March 31, 2023 | Baseball

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By: UNC Athletics Communications

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Johnny Castagnozzi hit a game-winning grand slam in the ninth inning and No. 13 North Carolina rallied for a 10-8 win over Notre Dame Friday in the opening game of a three-game ACC series at Frank Eck Stadium.

UNC (19-7, 5-3 ACC), which was 0-7 when trailing after eight innings this season, entered the ninth down by four runs, 8-4.

"I talked to our position players today and told them that until we can find a closer, they need to be the closer," UNC head coach Scott Forbes said. "It's funny how that happened. Of course, they didn't have to wait to have all the good at-bats in the ninth. That was a great win for our team on the road."

Shortstop Colby Wilkerson ignited the rally with a home run to lead off the ninth. Vance Honeycutt followed with a single through the left side, and Mac Horvath doubled to bring Jackson Van De Brake to the plate, representing the tying run.

Van De Brake dropped a base hit into left field, allowing Honeycutt to score and Horvath to move up to third. Tomas Frick was then hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Castagnozzi, who had never hit a grand slam at UNC before Friday.

"I missed a pitch early in the count, but I got it to 3-2, and I got a hold of it," Castagnozzi said. "I wouldn't have been in that spot if it hadn't been for the guys in front of me getting on and doing their job."

"That kid misses all that time and works a 3-2 count," Forbes said. "We talk about winning that 3-2 count as a pitching staff but winning it as an offense and we won it in that ninth inning."

Castagnozzi finished the game 3-for-5 with five RBIs, while Wilkerson drove in two and Van De Brake collected a pair of hits.

The Tar Heels led 4-0 in the second inning but fell behind by two runs at the end of the third as Vinny Martinez belted a three-run homer in the second and Estevan Moreno hit a three-run blast in the third.

The Fighting Irish (13-10, 4-6) scored all eight of their runs on two-out home runs with Zack Prajzner and T.J. Williams hitting solo homers.

UNC used five relievers over the final five innings in support of starter Max Carlson and held Notre Dame to one run, giving the offense a chance to rally.

Kevin Eaise retired the Irish in order on nine pitches to close out the game and earn his second save of the year. Nelson Berkwich (2-1) earned the win after striking out the only batter he faced to end the eighth.

"Matthew Matthijs was outstanding, and I thought Nik Pry was really good - he made only one bad pitch - then Eaise came in and got it done in his first close situation" Forbes said.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday, April 1, at 3 p.m.

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Notre Dame

W, 5-2

Apr 2 (Sun)

12 p.m.

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Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Berkwich, Nelson (2-1)

L: Carter Bosch (0-1)

S: Eaise, Kevin (2)

North Carolina

Batting:

2B: Horvath, Mac 1 ; Castagnozzi, Johnny 1 ; Cook, Casey 1 ; Stokely, Hunter 1

HR: Castagnozzi, Johnny 1 ; Wilkerson, Colby 1

RBI: Horvath, Mac 1 ; Van De Brake, Jackson 1 ; Frick, Tomas 1 ; Castagnozzi, Johnny 5 ; Wilkerson, Colby 2

SF: Horvath, Mac 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Honeycutt, Vance 2 ; Horvath, Mac 1 ; Van De Brake, Jackson 2 ; Holbrook, Reece 1 ; Castagnozzi, Johnny 1 ; Osuna, Alberto 1 ; Stokely, Hunter 1 ; Wilkerson, Colby 1