Baseball Winning Streak Ends With Loss At CCU

Tuesday, May 16

Conway, S.C.

6 p.m.

North Carolina

33-18

Coastal Carolina

34-17

North Carolina

Coastal Carolina

Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI

May 16, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: UNC Athletics Communications

CONWAY, S.C. – Zach Beach hit a three-run homer in the seventh, the bullpen tossed six shutout innings, and Coastal Carolina defeated North Carolina 8-6 at Springs Brooks Stadium on Tuesday to snap the Tar Heels' five-game winning streak.

Nicky Lucky added a two-run shot, and Jake Brooks also homered for the eighth-ranked Chanticleers.

Max Riemer hit his first home run of the season, Dylan King collected the first hit and RBI of his career, while Mac Horvath and Hunter Stokely had two hits each.

The Tar Heels scored three runs on four hits in the first inning off starter Bryce Shaffer before the Chanticleers' relievers took over in the second.

Casey Cook led off with a single and came around to score on a ground out by Eric Grintz. Horvath scored the Tar Heels' second run on a wild pitch, and King plated Grintz with a double.

Cook joined former Tar Heel Dustin Ackley as the only players to reach base safely in 40 consecutive games inside a single season this century. Ackley reached base in 59 straight games in 2009.

After collecting four hits in the first, the Tar Heels were held to just five hits over the final eight innings by a foursome of Chanticleer relievers.

Coastal Carolina scored three runs in its half of the first, tying the game on Lucky's homer.

Brooks' homer in the second gave CCU the lead before Payton Eeles scored from second base as an in-between hop handcuffed Stokely and bounced into shallow right field. The Chanticleers didn't score again until the seventh, when Beach went deep to extend their lead to 8-3.

Riemer's home run in the eighth made it a three-run game, and Stokely drove home Horvath, who tripled to lead off the ninth. Teddy Sharkey retired the final three batters he faced to earn his seventh save.

Coastal Carolina's Jack Billings (2-0) struck out three and allowed two hits with a pair of walks in three scoreless innings of relief. Will Smith followed him with two shutout innings.

North Carolina starter Connor Bovair (4-3) allowed five runs – four earned – in 2 1/3 innings. UNC's five relievers allowed three runs – all on one swing – on four hits in the final 6.1 innings with six strikeouts and six walks.

The Tar Heels return to ACC play on Thursday when they open a three-game series at No. 7 Clemson. The game is scheduled for 6 p.m.