The No. 8 UNC baseball program opened up their Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament with a win over No. 12 Clemson in Pool A.
UNC got on the board early after a quick three and out in the top of the first inning with Angel Zarate scoring off a Danny Serretti single. Clemson got on the board in the second inning to tie things up after a Bryar Hawkins RBI but thankfully for the Diamond Heels, that would be the only run given up after leaving two on base.
Zarate scored again in the bottom of the second after Mac Horvath sent Clemson to the warning tracks for a double RBI. After holding Clemson to zero in the top of the third, Mikey Madej blasted the ball over the wall for a home run, giving UNC their only runs in the third inning and giving them a 4-1 lead.
The fourth inning was a walk party for the UNC baseball team as back-to-back walks gave the Tar Heels another score, pushing their lead to 5-1.
Vance Honeycutt kept the inning going with a two-RBI off a single to push the Diamond Heels lead to 7-1. In the fifth inning, Zarate had his third hit of the game, this time for his 32nd RBI of the season to give UNC the 8-1 lead.
The Tar Heels tacked on one more run in the eighth inning, while Clemson score one in the ninth, giving UNC the 9-2 victory.
The Diamond Heels’ impressive victory gives them a 11-2 record in May, setting them up for a showdown against top-seeded Virginia Tech. The two teams are set to meet Friday at 7 p.m with the winner likely advancing in the tournament.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.