Honeycutt Sets Home Run Record In Run Rule Win Over UofL

Friday, May 10

Chapel Hill

6 p.m.

North Carolina

37-11, 18-7

Louisville

29-20, 13-12

Louisville

North Carolina

May 10, 2024 | Baseball

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By: UNC Athletics Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Vance Honeycutt hit two home runs and became North Carolina's career home run leader as the No. 11 Tar Heels run-ruled Louisville, 14-4, in eight innings at Boshamer Stadium on Friday night.

Honeycutt led off with his 20th home run of the season and 57th of his career, tying the program record set by Devy Bell in 1987.

Honeycutt hit career homer No. 58 to lead off the third inning to pass Bell as the program's all-time leader.

"It was special," Honeycutt said. "From a little kid who always wanted to come here to have the opportunity to play and then accomplish some things along the way was really cool.

"In the last three games, I hit one, and they come in stretches like that, so I thought maybe there could be a chance [to break the record]."

Honeycutt's second home run ignited a six-run third inning with four home runs. Parks Harber and Alberto Osuna hit two-run homers, and Gavin Gallaher belted a solo shot, putting Carolina (37-11, 18-7 ACC) ahead 7-2.

Osuna smashed a three-run homer in the fourth, and Anthony Donofrio crushed a two-run blast in the eighth as the Tar Heels matched their season-high for home runs with seven.

"Vance set the tone," UNC head coach Scott Forbes said. "It's contagious, and we've got power throughout the lineup.

"Coach [Jesse] Wierzbicki deserves a lot of credit. He works [hard] with these guys in the cages, and they believe in him. Our guys are playing free and easy, and that's how you should play this time of year."

Seven Tar Heels had an RBI led by Osuna, who drove in a season-high five runs, recording his fifth career multi-home run game.

Harber collected three hits, while Honeycutt, Osuna, Gallaher, and Casey Cook had two.

Luke Stevenson drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth before Colby Wilkerson singled through the drawn-in infield to end the game.

Alex Alicea homered for Louisville (29-20, 13-12), and JT Benson had two hits and two RBIs.

Freshman Jason DeCaro (4-1) pitched five innings to earn the victory. He allowed three runs, five hits, and four walks and struck out three.

The Cardinals loaded the bases with one out in the first but didn't score. They loaded them again in the second with no outs and scored two runs. DeCaro induced a double play followed by a groundout to end the second after producing a pair of flyouts to close the first.

Sebastian Gongora (5-4) allowed seven runs on eight hits in three innings, and a trio of UofL relievers combined to surrender seven runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.

The Tar Heels and Cardinals will continue their three-game series Saturday at noon. UNC left-hander Shea Sprague (3-1) will face Louisville southpaw Evan Webster (4-1).

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