Baseball Slams Past Elon

Tuesday, February 20

Chapel Hill

4 p.m.

North Carolina

4-0

Elon

1-3

Elon

North Carolina

February 20, 2024 | Baseball

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By: UNC Athletics Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Vance Honeycutt hit a one-out grand slam in the fifth inning, propelling No. 15 North Carolina to an 8-7 victory over Elon on Tuesday night at Boshamer Stadium.

UNC (4-0) trailed 4-3 heading into the fifth inning. Freshman Luke Stevenson singled to start the inning and moved to second as Alberto Osuna singled to right field against the shift. Alex Madera reached on an infield hit to load the bases and bring Honeycutt to the plate.

Honeycutt smashed a 3-2 fastball over the right-center field fence to put Carolina ahead.

The Tar Heels plated an insurance run in the seventh with Honeycutt, who reached on a two-out infield hit, coming around to score on Casey Cook's second RBI hit.

Cook finished 2-for-2 with a run, two RBIs, and three walks. Honeycutt was 2-for-4 with three runs scored and four runs driven in, while Stevenson and Parks Harber also had a pair of hits. Harber and Anthony Donofrio also produced a run in the second inning.

Carolina opened up a 3-0 lead in the second, but Elon (1-3) plated four runs in the fourth to go ahead by a run. Vince Fattore got the Phoenix on the board with a solo home run, and Alex Duffey tied the game with a two-run single. Charlie Granatell put Elon in front with a two-out RBI single to right field.

The Phoenix added another run in the sixth and two in the eighth to make it a one-run game, but closer Dalton Pence retired the side in order in the ninth, striking out the final two batters to preserve the win.

Sophomore Matthew Matthijs (1-0) picked up the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings pitched. UNC used eight pitchers, with starter Jason DeCaro going the furthest, tossing 3 1/3 innings. DeCaro and Cameron Padgett struck out three batters each.

Itai Spinoza (0-1) took the loss, surrendering four hits, Honeycutt's grand slam, in 1/3 of an inning.

UNC returns to the diamond Friday as it hosts No. 11 East Carolina in game one of a three-game, three-city series. The game is slated for a 4 p.m. start at Boshamer Stadium. Saturday's game is slated for 2 p.m. in Fayetteville, as is Sunday's series finale in Greenville.

NOTABLES:
• Carolina improved to 41-9 all-time against Elon and won its 16th straight game in the series.
• UNC improved to 4-0 for the third time in four years and 28th time in program history.
• The Tar Heels won their 2,999th game in school history.
• Honeycutt hit his 40th career home run to become the second player in school history to have 40 career homers and 50 career stolen bases. He also became the fourth member of the Tar Heels' 40-40 club.
• DeCaro made his Tar Heel debut and promptly struck out the first batter he faced.
• Cook collected multiple hits for the third straight game and is the only Tar Heel to get a hit in each of the first four games.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
• B2 - Cook ripped a single to left with one out in the second, plating Madera from second base (UNC, 1-0).
• B2 - Honeycutt scored from second base on a fielding error with two outs in the second (UNC, 2-0).
• B2 – Donofrio drove home Cook with a base hit through the right side.
• T4 – Fattore homered to center field (UNC, 3-1).
• T4 – Duffey stroked a two-run single through the right side, scoring Szestowicki and Tanner Holliman (T, 3-3).
• T4 – Granatell's bloop single plated Trey Tiffan with two down (Elon, 4-3).
• B5 – Honey cut hit a grand slam (UNC, 7-4).
• T6 – Justin Szestowicki scored on an infield hit by Ryan Sprock (UNC, 7-5).
• B7 – Cook singled through the right side to bring in Honeycutt from second base (UNC, 8-5).
• T8 – Duffey scored on a fielder's choice, and Kenny Mallory scored the final run on a hot by Connot Offshack (UNC, 8-7).