The Daily Tar Heel
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893.
Tuesday, March 19, 2024 Newsletters Latest print issue

We keep you informed.

Help us keep going. Donate Today.
The Daily Tar Heel

A high-powered second inning lead UNC baseball to win over High Point University

Connor Ollio pitch Lowell

UNC first-year Connor Ollio (48) pitches during a game against UMass Lowell on Saturday, March 2, 2019, in the second game of a double header. No. 5 UNC defeated UMass Lowell twice in a double header (5-0 and 14-7) at home in Boshamer Stadium.

In one of its last games of the regular season, the North Carolina baseball team handled business against High Point University on Tuesday, defeating the Panthers 7-0 after a high-powered second inning. 

The Tar Heels quickly claimed control of the game after scoring a total of six runs in the first two innings. The first run came after leadoff hitter Dylan Harris singled to right field. After Michael Busch was walked, and Nick Niarchos of High Point threw a passed ball and allowed the two players on base to advance, Danny Serretti hit a sacrifice fly out to far left field, sending Harris home and giving the Tar Heels an early 1-0 lead.

The second inning would see a series of big hits to put North Carolina firmly in the lead. Jackson Hesterlee started the game off by sending a ball to the back of center field for a triple on the first pitch of the inning. Ashton McGee would follow that up with a double to left field to send Hesterlee home. 

The greatest adversity UNC faced all game was Brandon Martorano getting hit by a pitch on the elbow. The junior catcher dropped to the ground in pain, staying on the dirt for several minutes while teammates and coaches crowded around him. 

While it looked like it may have been the end of Martorano’s day, he stood up and took his place on first base. Left field would prove to be the sweet spot again for UNC, with Harris hitting a double, sending McGee and Martorano home to score. 

“I was looking for something up, which is easier said than done,” Harris said. “With runners in scoring position, I know pitchers like to go off-speed, but I didn’t want to sit that I just wanted to look for something up … I just made sure I was ready for that second pitch and he threw a heater, middle of the plate, and I got my hands to it.” 

After Busch was walked, a single from Aaron Sabato and a grounded out hit by Serretti led to two more runs. Ike Freeman would ground out to the shortstop to end the high-scoring inning. 

On the mound, starting pitcher Connor Ollio threw a no-hitter through 3.2 innings before he was replaced by a committee of seven different relief pitchers. 

“The number of pitches, we usually try and script those out, and they usually never stay on script,” head coach Mike Fox said. “Pretty much, tonight did. The lead helped us do that, so it was nice to get back on the winning track and to get a number of our relievers back out there and throw some good clean innings for us.” 

The UNC pitching staff only allowed one hit by the Panthers all game, a single to right field by Joe Johnson. 

Looking forward, UNC has just three games left before the postseason, all in a series against division rival N.C. State. Ollio praised the team’s mindset after the win, but Harris admitted the team still had some consistency problems to work through. 

“I think we have a bunch of people right now that are hit or miss, and I think it’s going to take just a little bit of time to get everybody clicking on the same beat and once we do that we’ll be unstoppable,” Harris said. “Right now we’re just inconsistent. But we have people stepping up each and every game helping us win games.”

@bg_keyes

@DTHSports | sports@dailytarheel.com

To get the day's news and headlines in your inbox each morning, sign up for our email newsletters.