Baseball Falls To Virginia Tech, 4-3

Sunday, April 28

Chapel Hill

1 p.m.

North Carolina

33-11, 0

Virginia Tech

27-14, 0

Virginia Tech

North Carolina

April 28, 2024 | Baseball

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By: UNC Athletics Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Chris Cannizarro singled home the winning run in the fifth inning, and Virginia Tech stopped No. 15 North Carolina's 14-game ACC home winning streak Sunday 4-3 and avoided being the seventh consecutive opponent the Tar Heels swept at home.

Virginia Tech (27-14, 13-11 ACC) collected 10 hits, including home runs from Ben Watson and Clay Grady. The duo combined for half of the Hokies' base knocks.

Brady Kitner (7-0) allowed one run, three hits, and one walk in 4 1/3 innings with five strikeouts after Jacob Exum pitched three innings of one-run ball.

"You have to give them credit; they're a good club," UNC head coach Scott Forbes said. "When you get a chance to sweep, you've got to go for it, but at the end of the day, you're trying to win the series.

"We've got a short week, and we'll give it everything we've got, then we'll have a chance to recover."

Virginia Tech starter Griffin Stieg was lifted after three pitches following a visit to the mound from the athletic trainer.

UNC starter Aidan Haugh (3-1) suffered his first loss, giving up three runs, five hits, and a walk in four innings with three strikeouts.

Watson hit a solo home run in the first, and Grady belted a two-run shot in the fourth to give the Hokies a 3-2 lead after Gavin Gallaher put UNC (33-11, 17-7 ACC) ahead with a sac fly in the second.

Alex Madera scored on Parks Harber's single to tie the game in the first.

Watson doubled with one out in the fifth and scored on Cannizaro's hit to put Virginia Tech ahead 4-2.

Gallaher singled to start the eighth and scored on Madera's one-out hit through the right side to bring the Tar Heels within a run.

Harber, representing the tying run, led off the ninth with a single.

Jordan Little retired the next three Tar Heels to earn his sixth save of the season.

"If [Alberto Osuna] gets the bat head out a little bit more, we might be celebrating a walk-off," Forbes said. "We had a chance to win, but unfortunately, we didn't get it done."

Harber collected three of the Tar Heels' six hits.

Matt Poston made his first appearance out of the bullpen in over a week and struck out four in two innings.

The Tar Heels return to the diamond on Tuesday, April 30, against Charlotte at Boshamer Stadium. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be televised on ACC Network.

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