The North Carolina Tar Heels’ baseball program suffered their first two losses of the season over the weekend. And while losses are never a good thing, both were to a nationally ranked opponent.
North Carolina and East Carolina renewed their baseball rivalry over the weekend with one game at each team’s home stadium and a middle game in Fayetteville. Both teams entered the series ranked in the top 25 and for the Tar Heels, they were unbeaten with a 4-0 record going into Friday.
Meanwhile, the Pirates suffered a loss at Campbell earlier in the week. Still, the two teams played a highly intense series with two games being decided by one run.
Game 1: North Carolina 2, East Carolina 1
It was a pitching duel in the opener in Chapel Hill as just three total runs were scored in the game. North Carolina got on the board first with a run in the second inning off an Alex Madera RBI double.
East Carolina answered with a run in the top of the fifth.
But a Vance Honeycutt solo home run in the bottom of the eighth and then a scoreless inning from Matt Poston gave UNC a historic win, marking the 3,000th in program history.
Game 2: East Carolina 7, North Carolina 4
The Pirates got some revenge on Saturday, jumping out to a 7-0 lead in the game. North Carolina couldn’t muster much against the Pirates pitching, but did make things interesting with three runs in the eighth inning. Despite a single run in the ninth, East Carolina held on for the win.
Game 3: East Carolina 10, UNC 9
A drama-filled finale on Sunday saw East Carolina walk it off in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Pirates again jumped out to a 4-0 lead after five innings but UNC battled back.
The Tar Heels took a 5-4 lead in the seventh with a Gavin Gallaher three-run home run. East Carolina responded as the two teams went back and forth in the final innings. UNC did get a run to tie it in the ninth on a wild pitch but East Carolina walked it off for the series win.
North Carolina returns to the diamond on Tuesday to host VCU.
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