The Diamond Heels’ bats stayed hot in a 17-7 win against Pittsburgh in the opening game of a three-game series between the two foes, but that would be the only meeting between the two on the weekend. Inclement weather, which forced Friday’s game to be suspended and finished on Saturday, also forced the cancellation of the final two games of the series. It turns out playing baseball in Pittsburgh in mid-March isn’t the best idea.
The blowout win featured highlights aplenty on offense and defense for Carolina. Despite the cold weather, the Tar Heels had no trouble sending the ball out of Pitt’s Charles Cost Field. Alberto Osuna, Johnny Castagnozzi, Mac Horvath and Tomas Frick all homered in the game’s first three innings, giving UNC a 7-1 advantage after Pitt scored in the bottom of the first.
The Panthers cut that lead to 7-5 in the bottom of the third, but Horvath answered with another towering home run the very next inning. The game was suspended between the fourth and fifth innings with Carolina leading 9-7.
It was all UNC after the game resumed the next day. An RBI fielder’s choice followed by a three-run home run from Colby Wilkerson in the top of the fifth blew the game open once again, and Carolina added four more runs in the remaining innings to win comfortably.
But the margin could’ve been smaller if Vance Honeycutt hadn’t been playing center field. In the bottom of the seventh, a Panther batter sent a high fly ball Honeycutt’s way which appeared to be headed over the fence. Honeycutt tracked the ball back to the fence before leaping and robbing Pittsburgh of a home run.
The catch was so good, it even drew adulation from the other potential No. 1 pick in Chapel Hill.
After the cancellations, Carolina will be back in action Tuesday night in Chapel Hill against North Carolina A&T. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Featured image via UNC Baseball on Twitter
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