The North Carolina baseball team has hit a road bump here as the month of April is set to come to a close. After getting out to a nice start to the season, the Tar Heels have now lost two-straight Atlantic Coast Conference series, with the latest being this weekend.
UNC went into Boston College looking for a series win against another ranked ACC opponent. But they left losing all three games, they now find themselves at 9-10 in conference play and in fifth place in the Coastal Division.
This weekend’s series saw the UNC bullpen rear its ugly head, a problem that has plagued the Tar Heels most of the season. It also saw a pitching change in the rotation as UNC is hoping to get back on track.
The good news is that there are still series left for UNC to regroup but they are going to have to find that groove again quickly.
Game 1: Boston College 9, UNC 8 (10 inn.)
After Boston College plated two runs in the first inning, the Tar Heels struck back with a six spot in the bottom of the inning. The big hit came on a Vance Honeycutt three-run homer, giving UNC a 4-2 lead. They added two more in that inning and looked to be in complete control.
But then the third inning saw Boston College get RBI singles by two different players to cut the lead to 6-5. They added another RBI single in the fifth to tie the game.
The Golden Eagles then got a run in the top of the ninth before Jackson Van De Brake tied it with a single in the bottom half.
Boston College then got two more in the top of the tenth to grab the two-run lead. UNC answered with another Van De Brake single but the rally fell short.
Game 2: Boston College 9, UNC 4
Boston College got a run in the top of the first again before UNC tied it in the bottom of the second. The score stayed at 1-1 until Tomas Frick had a sac fly in the fifth.
But the eighth and ninth innings doomed the Tar Heels as the bullpen couldn’t hold the 2-1 lead.
The Golden Eagles scored four in the top of the eighth to grab the lead and then four more in the top of the ninth. UNC couldn’t rally and lost the series.
Game 3: Boston College 6, UNC 2
For the third-straight game, Boston College got a run in the top of the first to get the scoring started. And again, UNC would respond with two in the fourth to take the lead.
After that, it was all Golden Eagles as they got one in the fifth, three in the seventh and one in the eighth to complete the sweep.
Cameron Leary had two RBI’s to lead the way for Boston College while Hunter Stokley had the two lone RBI’s for the Tar Heels.
The Tar Heels return to action to host UNC-Wilmington on Tuesday.