The Diamond Heels hit six home runs – including four in the first inning alone – on their way to a 12-2 win against Pittsburgh in the ACC Tournament on Thursday. Carolina will play Wake Forest on Friday for a spot in the conference semifinals.

Though UNC took the field without Vance Honeycutt, who sat for precautionary reasons with back pain, the Tar Heel lineup didn’t miss a beat. Anthony Donofrio, Casey Cook and Parks Harber hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in the game’s first three at-bats, giving the No. 1 seed a lead it wouldn’t relinquish. It was the first time Carolina had hit three consecutive home runs in a game since 2002. The Tar Heels weren’t done, though, as Alberto Osuna crushed a solo shot of his own later in the frame.

Cook and Donofrio would each go deep again in the later innings, providing more than enough support for starting pitcher Jason DeCaro. The UNC ace lasted seven innings, gave up two runs on five hits and struck out six to earn his fifth win. Kyle Percival and Connor Bovair combined to record the final six outs of the ballgame.

In Honeycutt’s absence, all Donofrio did was bat 3-3 from the leadoff spot, collect five runs batted in and score three runs. He played Honeycutt’s center field, while Cook replaced Donofrio in right, Gavin Gallaher replaced Cook in left and Jackson Van De Brake came off the bench to play third base. Van De Brake, who was named second team All-ACC in 2023 yet has made just 18 starts this season, batted 2-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.

UNC is now 42-12 overall and has won six consecutive games in the Pool Play stage of the ACC Tournament, which is its longest streak since the tournament expanded in 2017. The Diamond Heels will be back in action against the Demon Deacons on Friday at 7 p.m. in Charlotte.

 

Featured image via ACC Baseball on Twitter

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