University of North Carolina Athletics
Saturday, March 30
Winston-Salem, N.C.
7 p.m.
North Carolina
24-4, 9-2
10
at
6
Wake Forest
17-9, 4-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
North Carolina
0
1
0
1
0
3
0
3
2
10
12
1
Wake Forest
0
0
0
1
2
1
0
0
2
6
10
2
Harbers' Three Homers Lead To Wake Forest Series Win
March 30, 2024 | Baseball
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Parks Harber hit three home runs to lead No. 14 North Carolina to a 10-6 win over No. 11 Wake Forest at David E. Couch Ballpark on Saturday. It marked the first three-homer game of his career and the first by a Tar Heel in 22 years.
Casey Cook went 3-for-4, Anthony Donofrio had two triples, and Luke Stevenson belted a three-run homer to clinch the Tar Heels' fourth consecutive ACC series to start the season and eighth straight victory.
"Parks Harber is a really good hitter, not just a power hitter," UNC head coach Scott Forbes said. "We knew we got someone really special when he decided to come to UNC. I really felt like it was a matter of time based on what I saw in [batting practice]. He did jokingly tell me that when conference play starts, that's when I play my best. He's proven that right."
Harber got North Carolina (24-4, 9-2 ACC) on the board first with a solo home run off Wake Forest starter Josh Hartle.
Two innings later, he hit another solo home run that put the Tar Heels up 2-0.
In the sixth, Harber broke a 3-3 tie with his third and final home run – a two-run blast that sailed over the right-center field wall.
Wake Forest (17-9, 4-7 ACC) made it a one-run game in the sixth on an RBI double by Javar Williams, but UNC answered with another home run as Stevenson crushed a 453-foot three-run blast to score Harber and Alex Madera. That put the Tar Heels up 8-4.
Donofrio had an RBI triple in the eighth, and Alberto Osuna beat the shift and singled through the right side to bring him home. Wake Forest designated hitter Nick Kurtz hit a two-run double in the ninth to set the final score.
Harber now has four multi-home runs games in his career. He homered twice against North Carolina A&T earlier in the week and had a pair of two-homer games while at Georgia. He has homered in a Carolina record five consecutive games and has eight home runs during the streak.
"I think I'm really getting comfortable in the Carolina uniform and really trusting myself and my approach," Harber said. "Early on I was hitting balls hard, but wasn't lifting them as much. I was having good at-bats, but the results weren't there yet. I've been sticking with the process and now I'm starting to make that jump.
UNC starter Jason DeCaro pitched 4.1 innings and allowed three runs and four hits with four strikeouts and four walks. Kyle Percival (4-0) struck out two of the three batters he faced in the fifth to earn the win, while Aidan Haugh and Matt Poston pitched two innings each to close the game.
David Falco (0-2) took the loss, giving up three runs on two hits in 1 1/3 inning pitched. Wake Forest used six pitchers, with Hartle going 4 2/3 innings and giving up two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts.
In the series finale, UNC will go after its third ACC series sweep of the season on Sunday afternoon. The game is scheduled for 1 p.m.
NOTABLE
• The Tar Heels have won their first series in Winston-Salem since 2013 when they swept the Deacons.
• Carolina improved to 4-2 against ranked teams this season and 4-3 in true road games.
• Harber became the first Tar Heel since Chris Maples against NC State in 2002 to hit three home runs in game.
• Donofrio is the first Tar Heel to hit two triples in a game since Kyle Shelton against VCU in 2008.
• UNC has hit 24 of its 45 home runs this season in the last eight games.
Casey Cook went 3-for-4, Anthony Donofrio had two triples, and Luke Stevenson belted a three-run homer to clinch the Tar Heels' fourth consecutive ACC series to start the season and eighth straight victory.
"Parks Harber is a really good hitter, not just a power hitter," UNC head coach Scott Forbes said. "We knew we got someone really special when he decided to come to UNC. I really felt like it was a matter of time based on what I saw in [batting practice]. He did jokingly tell me that when conference play starts, that's when I play my best. He's proven that right."
Harber got North Carolina (24-4, 9-2 ACC) on the board first with a solo home run off Wake Forest starter Josh Hartle.
Two innings later, he hit another solo home run that put the Tar Heels up 2-0.
In the sixth, Harber broke a 3-3 tie with his third and final home run – a two-run blast that sailed over the right-center field wall.
Wake Forest (17-9, 4-7 ACC) made it a one-run game in the sixth on an RBI double by Javar Williams, but UNC answered with another home run as Stevenson crushed a 453-foot three-run blast to score Harber and Alex Madera. That put the Tar Heels up 8-4.
Donofrio had an RBI triple in the eighth, and Alberto Osuna beat the shift and singled through the right side to bring him home. Wake Forest designated hitter Nick Kurtz hit a two-run double in the ninth to set the final score.
Harber now has four multi-home runs games in his career. He homered twice against North Carolina A&T earlier in the week and had a pair of two-homer games while at Georgia. He has homered in a Carolina record five consecutive games and has eight home runs during the streak.
"I think I'm really getting comfortable in the Carolina uniform and really trusting myself and my approach," Harber said. "Early on I was hitting balls hard, but wasn't lifting them as much. I was having good at-bats, but the results weren't there yet. I've been sticking with the process and now I'm starting to make that jump.
UNC starter Jason DeCaro pitched 4.1 innings and allowed three runs and four hits with four strikeouts and four walks. Kyle Percival (4-0) struck out two of the three batters he faced in the fifth to earn the win, while Aidan Haugh and Matt Poston pitched two innings each to close the game.
David Falco (0-2) took the loss, giving up three runs on two hits in 1 1/3 inning pitched. Wake Forest used six pitchers, with Hartle going 4 2/3 innings and giving up two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts.
In the series finale, UNC will go after its third ACC series sweep of the season on Sunday afternoon. The game is scheduled for 1 p.m.
NOTABLE
• The Tar Heels have won their first series in Winston-Salem since 2013 when they swept the Deacons.
• Carolina improved to 4-2 against ranked teams this season and 4-3 in true road games.
• Harber became the first Tar Heel since Chris Maples against NC State in 2002 to hit three home runs in game.
• Donofrio is the first Tar Heel to hit two triples in a game since Kyle Shelton against VCU in 2008.
• UNC has hit 24 of its 45 home runs this season in the last eight games.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Percival, Kyle (4-0)
L: David Falco Jr. (0-2)
Batting:
3B: Donofrio, Anthony 2
HR: Harber, Parks 3 ; Stevenson, Luke 1
RBI: Donofrio, Anthony 1 ; Osuna, Alberto 1 ; Harber, Parks 4 ; Stevenson, Luke 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Cook, Casey 1 ; Donofrio, Anthony 2 ; Osuna, Alberto 1 ; Harber, Parks 4 ; Madera, Alex 1 ; Stevenson, Luke 1
Batting:
2B: Nick Kurtz 1 ; Seaver King 1 ; Jack Winnay 1 ; Javar Williams 1
RBI: Nick Kurtz 2 ; Seaver King 2 ; Javar Williams 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Marek Houston 2 ; Seaver King 1 ; Jack Winnay 1 ; Cam Nelson 2
SB: Javar Williams 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
4
H
3
RBI
4
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball1B/DH
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ BaseballUNC Volleyball: Tar Heels Sweep Cal on Road
Sunday, November 09
UNC Wrestling: Tar Heels Trounce Northern Colorado in Home Opener, 40-0
Sunday, November 09
UNC Football: Tar Heels Hold Off Stanford, 20-15
Sunday, November 09
MBB: Hubert Davis Post-Kansas Press Conference
Saturday, November 08