A split of a Friday doubleheader at Georgia Tech was enough for the Diamond Heels to win their fourth consecutive series in ACC play, as Carolina took two games of the three-game set with the Yellow Jackets.

The first game of the doubleheader saw UNC explode for eight runs between the second and fourth innings. RBIs from Hunter Stokely, Alberto Osuna, Mac Horvath, Jackson Van De Brake and Vance Honeycutt did the damage, breaking the game open after Georgia Tech had scored a run in the first inning. After the Yellow Jackets got four of those runs back in the sixth, Osuna came through with valuable insurance: a two-run blast over the center field fence in the seventh. It was Osuna’s first home run since March 21.

The 10 runs were enough to secure a win for starting pitcher Connor Bovair, whose 4-1 record is best among the Carolina staff. Bovair went five innings before giving way to a quartet of Tar Heel relievers, who saw the game through to its conclusion.

But just like last weekend at Notre Dame, Carolina wasn’t able to finish off a doubleheader sweep on the road. UNC started on the right foot with RBIs from Honeycutt and Horvath in the first two innings, but fell behind for good after the Yellow Jackets scored five runs in the third. Starter Jake Knapp lasted just 2.1 innings and the Tar Heel defense committed a pair of errors in the sloppy 8-4 loss.

Still, the series win means UNC is now 22-10 on the year and 8-5 in conference play, just a half-game behind Coastal Division leaders Virginia and Miami. Carolina will return to Boshamer Stadium from its extended road trip this week, first to host Queens on Tuesday before a critical three-game series with the Hurricanes.

 

Featured image via UNC Baseball on Twitter


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