Lights Out Pitching Carries UNC Baseball to 7-0 Start, Dalatri Shines in Sunday Win Over Radford

Entering its series finale against Radford, the ninth-ranked UNC baseball team had won its first six games of 2017 thanks to some timely hitting backing up a shutdown pitching staff.

Freshman right-hander Luca Dalatri did his part to help that reputation on Sunday at Boshamer Stadium, striking out 15 Radford batters over eight strong innings in UNC’s 7-5 victory–clinching yet another series sweep for head coach Mike Fox’s squad.

The Tar Heels are now off to a 7-0 start, largely thanks to the strength of the arms working for new pitching coach Robert Woodard.

Before the season started, Fox worried that UNC wouldn’t have much strikeout power beyond Friday starter JB Bukausakas, a consensus top 10 MLB Draft prospect.

Bukauskas still hasn’t allowed a run in 13 innings pitched so far, with 21 strikeouts to his name–backing up all the hype and then some.

Jason Morgan has a 2.38 ERA and has been credited with the win in each of his Saturday starts, but has retired just nine hitters on strikes. Known as more of a contact pitcher, those statistics match what was expected of him.

Then there’s the two standout freshmen who have taken expectations, crumpled them up and thrown them out the window–Dalatri and closer Josh Hiatt.

Hiatt picked up his fourth and fifth saves of the season during UNC’s wins over Radford on Saturday and Sunday–surpassing the team’s total from all of 2016. He’s also struck out 10 batters in just five total innings–more than Morgan has tallied in two starts.

Dalatri–a 6-foot-6 righty from New Jersey–then came out Sunday in his second career start and not only notched his second career win, but struck out more hitters than any Tar Heel since current New York Met star Matt Harvey also fanned 15 back in 2010.

It took Radford until the eighth inning on Sunday to break through against Dalatri, when it scored a pair of runs.

The Highlanders then added three more in a shaky ninth inning pitched by first-year reliever Evan Odum.

After Radford cut the UNC lead to three runs, Hiatt came on to record the final out. He let a run score on a wild pitch, but then struck out Richard De La Cruz to end it.

With players like centerfielder Brian Miller, shortstop Logan Warmoth and third baseman Kyle Datres providing offense in key situations, UNC has been able to give their pitchers early leads more often than not this season.

So far, their contributions have been more than enough–as the Tar Heel pitching staff seems well equipped to hang on and lead the team into the gauntlet of ACC play, which is quickly approaching.

Up Next:

UNC will host Winthrop at Boshamer Stadium on Tuesday, Feb. 28 as it looks to open the season with its eighth consecutive victory.

Series Notes:

• Star centerfielder Brian Miller came up clutch Friday’s game vs. Radford, as his two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth provided the only score in UNC’s 2-0 victory. The Raleigh native also went 2-for-4 on Sunday with a pair of doubles.
• Datres–the sophomore third baseman from Pennsylvania–took over the team lead with four RBIs in the Tar Heels’ win on Saturday.
• Radford committed six errors in Sunday’s game.