UNC baseball drops season-opener to Seton Hall, 10-8

In a high-scoring affair, the No. 12 North Carolina baseball team (0-1) dropped its season opener to the Seton Hall Pirates (0-1), 10-8, on Friday night at Boshamer Stadium. 

What happened?

Lead-off man Will Gale earned a 10-pitch walk to put the first Pirate on base. The redshirt junior would go on to steal around the diamond to third base. Moments later, first baseman Pat D’Amico’s single drove home a run for Seton Hall. 

In the following frame, sophomore centerfielder Vance Honeycutt capitalized off a Pirate error to advance to first base. But after successfully stealing one base, the preseason All-American was caught trying to take third base and UNC’s offensive push ended. 

The Tar Heels found themselves with a prime scoring opportunity in the third inning. Graduate pitcher Brennan O’Neill would walk the bases loaded for UNC, and Eric Grintz came up to bat with one out. But the junior designated hitter clubbed into a double play, keeping North Carolina off the board. 

In the next frame, Seton Hall extended its lead. After Staus Pokrovsky was hit by a pitch, junior designated hitter Zack Sylvester rocketed a two-run blast over the left field netting to give the Pirates a three-run advantage. 

However, North Carolina would respond in the bottom half of the fourth. The Pirates’ second error of the game helped drive in a Tar Heel run, cutting Seton Hall's lead to 3-2. 

Max Carlson’s day came to an end in the fifth inning and the Tar Heels brought out graduate pitcher Nik Pry from the bullpen. The Pirates would capitalize on the pitching change, as Seton Hall's second three-run blast of the game ballooned its lead four. 

UNC clawed its way back in the latter frame of the inning. Junior third baseman Mac Horvath’s lead-off solo homer highlighted an inning that saw North Carolina drive home a pair of runs. 

Trailing by three runs, the bats came alive for the Tar Heels in the sixth inning. Junior shortstop Colby Wilkerson earned a four-pitch walk and Honeycutt lined a single to shallow center field to open up the frame. One batter later, Horvath drilled a two-RBI double to inch UNC within one run. 

But the Tar Heels’ scoring barrage in the inning was far from over. First-year second baseman Austin Hawke’s sacrifice fly helped drive home the fourth run of the frame for North Carolina, giving the Tar Heels an 8-7 lead.

Yet, North Carolina’s lead was short lived. After a scoreless seventh inning, the Pirates responded with three runs in the top of the eight to help Seton Hall win the season opener, 10-8.

Who stood out? 

In the absence of slugger Alberto Osuna, new faces needed to step up their long ball prowess for North Carolina. Horvath delivered when it mattered most, as his solo blast and two-RBI double helped keep the Tar Heels within striking range during the middle third of the contest.

When was it decided?

The Pirates controlled the first half of the game. After plating the night’s first run in the initial frame, Seton Hall would use a pair of home runs to open up a four-run lead in the top of the fifth inning.  

But a scrolling splurge by North Carolina -- engineered behind the bat of Horvath -- one inning later helped UNC take its first lead of the night, 8-7. The Tar Heels’ lead did not last long, however, as Seton Hall scraped across three runs in the eighth inning to propel the Pirates to victory. 

Why does it matter?

The defeat puts the Tar Heels behind the curve in their season-opening series. In order for UNC to secure the weekend win, North Carolina will need to win its next two contests against the Pirates. 

When do they play next?

The Tar Heels continue their home series against the Pirates on Saturday at 2 p.m.

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