The Diamond Heels may have been celebrating Bark at the Bosh Tuesday night in Chapel Hill, but they didn’t let themselves get bitten by an underdog. Carolina fought off a tough challenge from visiting North Carolina A&T to claim a 6-4 win and avenge a defeat to the Aggies last season.

A&T struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, but Carolina didn’t let the lead last long. Vance Honeycutt homered in UNC’s first at-bat of the day in the bottom of the inning, and Alberto Osuna followed that up with a two-run blast in the same frame. The red-hot Osuna has now homered in four consecutive games.

Hunter Stokely added two more runs with a home run of his own in the third, and he contributed some insurance in the bottom of the eighth on a fielder’s choice after the Aggies had cut the lead to 5-4. Stokely is now batting .346 this season.

On the mound, seven Carolina pitchers contributed to the victory. Jake Knapp started, but it was Will Sandy who earned the win with three innings of relief while only allowing one run. Matt Poston pitched a perfect top of the ninth to earn his first save of the season and keep his earned run average at all zeros through eight appearances.

UNC is now 16-5 and will next host Duke in a critical three-game ACC series at Boshamer Stadium later this week. Thursday’s first game of the series will begin at 7 p.m. and be broadcast on ACC Network.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jeffrey A. Camarati


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