Honeycutt Homers, Bullpen Throws Shutout In Win Over ECU

Friday, February 23

Chapel Hill

5 p.m.

North Carolina

5-0

East Carolina

3-2

East Carolina

North Carolina

February 23, 2024 | Baseball

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By: UNC Athletics Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – UNC junior centerfielder Vance Honeycutt belted a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead No. 15 North Carolina to a 2-1 win over No. 11 East Carolina at Boshamer Stadium on Friday.

With the win, North Carolina became the eighth program in NCAA history to win 3,000 games and wrapped up its season-opening homestand 5-0.

The Tar Heels' bullpen tossed 4.1 scoreless behind starter Folger Boaz, who allowed just one run through 4.2 innings. Sophomore Matthew Matthijs (2-0) earned his second straight victory, retiring all six men faced in 2.0 innings pitched.

Senior Matt Poston closed the door in the ninth, bookending the frame with a pair of strikeouts to earn his first save of the season.

After ECU (3-2) tied the game at 1-1 in the fifth, Carolina didn't allow another baserunner beyond first base and turned a pair of inning-ending double plays in the seventh and eighth.

The Pirates tied the game on a double by Jacob Jenkins-Cowhart to score Carter Cunningham from second, with Jacob Starling running behind him. Starling attempted to break the tie but was thrown out at the home by Colby Wilkerson.

Alex Madera drove in the game's first run in the second with a double off the left field wall to plate Luke Stevenson, who led off the frame with a two-base hit. It was the only run the Tar Heels scratched across against ECU starting pitcher Trey Yesavage.

Yesavage struck out 11 batters in six innings and limited Carolina to four hits while issuing a single walk before yielding to Danny Beal (0-1).

The Tar Heels and Pirates will move their series to Segra Stadium in Fayetteville on Saturday. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.

NOTABLES:
• The Tar Heels won their second consecutive one-run game after beating Elon, 8-7, on Tuesday.
• UNC and ECU played their fourth consecutive one-run game, and the Tar Heels won their second straight over the Pirates.
• Casey Cook singled in the first to extend his season-opening hitting streak to five games, while Madera hit safely in his fourth straight game after sitting out the season opener.
• Honeycutt extended his on-base streak to 40 games dating back to last season.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
• B2 – Luke Stevenson scored on a double to left field by Alex Madera (UNC, 1-0).
• T5 – Jacob Jenkins-Cowhart tied the game with an RBI-double to center field, plating Cater Cunningham (T, 1-1).
• B8 – Vance Honeycutt homered to left field (UNC, 2-1).

That's 3000 wins in program history. Eighth program in NCAA history to reach the milestone. pic.twitter.com/SsKgA8SeU4
— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) February 24, 2024