A split of a Sunday doubleheader at Notre Dame was enough for the Diamond Heels to clinch their three-game weekend series with the Fighting Irish. Carolina won Friday’s opener before Saturday’s game was postponed, necessitating the twin billing on Sunday.
A career-high eight-inning outing from starting pitcher Connor Bovair carried the Tar Heels in Sunday’s first game. Bovair allowed just three hits and two runs over those eight innings while striking out eight. His brilliance allowed the Tar Heels to edge in front in the top of the fifth, as an RBI double from Patrick Alvarez and an RBI single from Colby Wilkerson pushed the first two UNC runs across.
It was the second highlight of the day for Alvarez, who earlier in the game kept Notre Dame off the scoreboard in spectacular fashion. On a long fly ball to left field, Alvarez leapt at the wall, bobbled the ball in the air but caught it on his way back to the turf.
UNC’s lead increased to 3-0 in the top of the sixth on Jackson Van De Brake’s seventh home run of the season. The junior college transfer would be back at it in the ninth, scoring two more runs on an RBI single. Those runs provided critical insurance for Carolina, as its lead had been cut to 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh. With a three-run cushion, Kevin Eaise shut down the Irish in the ninth to secure the 5-2 win.
But Carolina wouldn’t be able to make a clean getaway from South Bend, falling to Notre Dame 9-1 in the second game of the doubleheader. Starter Jake Knapp was roughed up early and often, allowing a pair of runs in the first and four more in the third and taking his first loss of the season. The Irish scored three more runs in the fifth against Will Sandy to truly blow it open. Carolina’s only run came on an eighth-inning solo shot from Vance Honeycutt.
The series win in South Bend leaves Carolina at 20-8 on the season and 6-4 in conference play. Its next game is the annual showdown in Charlotte with No. 9 South Carolina, which is scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Truist Park.
Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications
Chapelboro.comย does not charge subscription fees, and you canย directly support our efforts in local journalismย here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you byย signing up for our biweekly newsletter.
Related Stories
‹
UNC's Home Run Remington Announces 'Retirement' from Baseball GamesAfter nine seasons of loyal service to the Diamond Heels, UNC’s Athletics Rehabilitative Facility Dog, better known as “Home Run Remington,” has announced his “retirement.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Home Run REMINGTON (@homerunremington) ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข ๐ฉต Our favorite dawg is ready for the ๐๐ค๐ก๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ง๐จ of retirement! Thank you […]
Chansky's Notebook: Draft CrushUNC joins Michigan and Arizona as the three schools to have at least one athlete picked in the first round of the NFL, NBA and MLB drafts.
2025 MLB Draft Tracker: See Where the Diamond Heels are Headed in the ProsThe 2025 Major League Baseball Draft saw several Diamond Heels get selected. It continues a run of excellence for the UNC baseball program, which has had at least one player selected in every draft since 1978. The first Diamond Heel off the board was catcherย Luke Stevenson, who went to theย Seattle Mariners with the No. 35 […]
UNC Outfielder Kane Kepley Selected by Chicago Cubs in 2nd Round of MLB DraftKane Kepley is headed to the Show. The Chicago Cubs selected Kepley with in the second round with the No. 56 overall pick of the 2025 MLB Draft Sunday evening in Atlanta. About to be ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ in the Windy City! Kep is a Cub ๐ฆ๐ป#ProHeels pic.twitter.com/IsjxlBfnaa — Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) July 14, 2025 Kepley […]
UNC's Luke Stevenson Selected by Seattle Mariners in 1st Round of MLB DraftThe Seattle Mariners selected UNC catcher Luke Stevenson with the No. 35 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft Sunday. Call him ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ค Going to be rainin homers up there soon! #ProHeels | #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/YfpM9r2FjJ — Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) July 14, 2025 Stevenson, a draft-eligible sophomore, […]
Chansky's Notebook: Growing PainsFormer UNC star Vance Honeycutt signed a $4 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles, but he is struggling in the minor leagues.
Check Out the Complete Schedule for UNC's 'ACC Network Takeover' July 8The ACC Network will feature 24 hours of Tar Heel highlights from the 2024-25 athletic year Tuesday as part of its annual “ACC Network Takeover.” Programming begins at midnight and lasts through 11:59 p.m. Featured games include the women’s basketball team’s win against No. 10 NC State at Carmichael Arena back in February. Those who […]
College Baseball Foundation Names UNC's Jake Knapp National Pitcher of the YearUNC right-hander Jake Knapp has been named the National Pitcher of the Year by the College Baseball Foundation. ๐๐๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ง๐จ๐๐จ๐๐ฒ ๐ Jake Knapp is the ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ. pic.twitter.com/uFaFnNZAWy — Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) June 13, 2025 Knapp missed the entirety of the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery during the […]
Late Collapse Dooms UNC Baseball in NCAA Super Regional Game 3Arizona capitalized on a pair of fielding errors in the top of the eighth inning to score three runs and stun the Diamond Heels 4-3 in the winner-take-all game of the NCAA Super Regionals at Boshamer Stadium Sunday afternoon. UNC’s season is over. Carolina entered the inning leading 3-1 on the strength of a three-run […]
UNC Baseball in the 2025 NCAA Super Regionals: How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Start TimesUNC baseball is hosting a super regional round, as the No. 5 Diamond Heels welcome the Arizona Wildcats for a best-of-three series.
›
