The Diamond Heels bounced back from their second loss of the season Friday afternoon, topping visiting Pittsburgh at Boshamer Stadium to open ACC play 1-0.
The top of Carolina’s lineup did damage all day long. Outfielders Angel Zarate and Vance Honeycutt combined to bat 4-8, with four runs scored, two RBI and two walks. Honeycutt scored UNC’s first run of the day after reaching on an error, moving to second on a walk, and then to third and home on two consecutive groundouts.
Manufacturing runs was the name of the game for the Tar Heels on Friday, though Honeycutt showed he can do it the quick way, too. The freshman star blasted his sixth home run of the season in the fifth inning to give Carolina a 4-2 lead. He is the only Tar Heel with more than three long balls this season.
Pitt tied it with a two-run blast in the next inning, but Mac Horvath broke the deadlock in the bottom of the frame with a single to score Danny Serretti. Serretti got an RBI of his own in the seventh, singling home Angel Zarate, who had advanced to third after Johnny Castagnozzi reached on another Panthers error. Honeycutt provided more insurance in the eighth, stealing second after walking and then scoring on a Zarate single. It was Honeycutt’s team-leading 13th stolen base of the season. No other Tar Heel has more than four.
Lefty Brandon Schaeffer once again took the mound as the Friday starter for Carolina, but was knocked around for 10 hits over his 5.1 innings of work. Fortunately for Schaeffer and the Tar Heels, the bullpen combined to shut out the Panthers over the final 3.2 innings while the offense took the lead. Kyle Mott earned his third win of the season with 2.2 no-hit innings, and Caden O’Brien came out for the ninth to seal his third save of the season.
Carolina is now 12-2 on the young season and 1-0 in conference play. Weather permitting, the team will host Pittsburgh for two more games at Boshamer Stadium this weekend. First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.
Related Stories
‹
DeCaro Dominates as UNC Baseball Beats Duke in Series OpenerJason DeCaro allowed just three hits and one run across 7.2 innings in a 3-1 win for the Diamond Heels at Duke Thursday night. 𝐇𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 1️⃣ Decaro out duels Duke and we open with a 𝙙𝙪𝙗!#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/5LOXcbe51H — Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) April 24, 2026 UNC’s bats struggled themselves for much of […]
UNC Baseball Rolls Past High Point in Midweek MatchupThe Diamond Heels scored three runs in the second inning and six in the fourth on their way to a 9-2 win against High Point at Boshamer Stadium Tuesday night. 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐇𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐧 😤#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/ILzX04V18m — Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) April 22, 2026 Carolina’s nine runs came on just five hits, […]
UNC Baseball Drops Final Game of Weekend Series vs. No. 2 Georgia TechThe Diamond Heels weren’t able to finish off a series sweep of No. 2 Georgia Tech in Chapel Hill Sunday, dropping the series finale 5-2 after winning Friday and Saturday. The Yellow Jackets led for nearly the entire game, striking quickly in the top of the first and then, after UNC tied it in the […]
UNC Baseball Cruises by UNC-Wilmington for 3rd Consecutive WinThe Diamond Heels scored five runs in the first inning and capitalized on five UNC-Wilmington errors Tuesday night in a 14-5 win at Boshamer Stadium. Sea ya later! Heels put another in the win column!#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/6dj58HWgYR — Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) April 15, 2026 The five-run first inning began after UNC drew three consecutive […]
UNC Baseball Drops First Game, But Still Wins Weekend Series at ClemsonDespite a loss in Friday’s opener and a late deficit in Saturday’s second game, the Diamond Heels came back to win two out of three games and earn the series victory during the weekend at Clemson. It’s the second straight weekend UNC has won a series after dropping the first game, and the first time […]
Chansky's Notebook: The BlueprintIf Michael Malone wants to learn how to utilize the transfer portal, he should look no further than the UNC baseball program.
UNC Baseball Wraps Up Homestand with Win vs. CharlotteThe Diamond Heels scored five runs in the bottom of the second inning on their way to an 8-4 win against Charlotte at Boshamer Stadium Tuesday night. Fun night with the fellas! Downed the 49ers 💥#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/zhtnNhGP7c — Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) April 8, 2026 UNC’s rally started after two consecutive doubles from Owen […]
Saturday Comeback Helps UNC Baseball Take Weekend Series vs. No. 22 Boston CollegeThe Diamond Heels rebounded from a series-opening loss Thursday night and a 7-3 deficit in the rubber match Saturday to take two of three games from No. 22 Boston College at Boshamer Stadium during the weekend. Thursday’s opener saw Carolina go in front with a run in the second inning against Eagles ace A.J. Colarusso, […]
UNC Baseball Walks Off Campbell in 14-Inning MarathonRom Kellis singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 14th inning to help the Diamond Heels win a marathon battle against Campbell at Boshamer Stadium Tuesday. The game lasted nearly five hours and ended after midnight Wednesday morning. Heels win the two-month marathon!! No foolin!#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/NvMuclMD4Q — Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) […]
UNC Baseball Head Coach Scott Forbes Signs Contract Extension Through 2031UNC baseball head coach Scott Forbes has agreed to a new contract extension which will keep him in Chapel Hill through the 2031 season. Forbes in currently in his sixth year as head coach. 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 👏 Coach Forbes put pen to paper on a new extension that will keep […]
›
