The Diamond Heels kept their unbeaten home record intact Tuesday evening, using dominant relief efforts from Shaddon Peavyhouse and Davis Palermo to top VMI, 5-1, at Boshamer Stadium.
Connor Ollio got the start on the mound for Carolina, and though he held the Keydets to just one run over four innings, he left with a no-decision. UNC held a brief lead in the bottom of the third inning after an RBI single from Tomas Frick scored Vance Honeycutt, but VMI answered the next inning with a run of their own.
Carolina pushed three runs across to take the lead back for good in the bottom of the fourth, all of which came on plays where the ball didn’t leave the infield. With the bases loaded, Angel Zarate was hit by a pitch to drive in a run. Patrick Alvarez, who advanced to third base, then scored on a balk by the VMI pitcher. A groundout by Frick scored Honeycutt, who had taken third on the balk.
With the lead in hand, head coach Scott Forbes turned the ball over to his bullpen. Peavyhouse and Palermo were dazzling in their five combined innings of relief, holding the Keydets without a hit, striking out eight and allowing just two baserunners between them. Peavyhouse earned his second win of the season in the effort, while Palermo earned a rare nine-out save for going the final three innings.
In the winning effort, Zarate extended his hitting streak to 17 games and his on-base streak to 40 games, going 1-4 on the evening. Unsurprisingly, Zarate leads the team with a .424 batting average this season. Frick collected his 16th and 17th RBI of the season, moving him into the team lead. He’s one of four UNC starters batting over .300 in 2022.
Carolina, ranked in the top 20 in all the major national polls, is now 15-0 at Boshamer Stadium this season. UNC was scheduled to take the diamond again Wednesday afternoon against Richmond, but that game has been postponed due to inclement weather. The team will next be in action for its first true road series of the season, a visit to Duke this weekend.
Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications
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