The Diamond Heels’ final ACC series of the regular season isn’t off to a great start. Carolina fell behind quickly in game one of their three-game set with No. 7 Clemson and never recovered, falling 14-7.

Starting pitcher Max Carlson, back in the No. 1 role for head coach Scott Forbes, struggled mightily. The righty lasted just 3.2 innings while giving 10 hits and six runs and striking out just two. Each UNC pitcher who took the mound Thursday gave up at least one run, as the Tigers scored once in the fifth, five times in the sixth and twice in the eighth to blow the contest open. The Tigers banged out 19 hits in all and took advantage of four UNC errors. The Tar Heels couldn’t keep up.

The absence of sophomore star Vance Honeycutt didn’t do the lineup any favors. Honeycutt sat out his second consecutive game and is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury by the program. Prior to this week, Honeycutt had started every game in his nearly two seasons in Chapel Hill.

The Tar Heels fall to 33-19 overall and 14-12 in ACC play with the loss, with two more games with the Tigers upcoming on Friday and Saturday. Friday’s contest is set for 6 p.m.

 

Featured image via UNC Baseball on Twitter


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