Oops, they did it again.
For the second time in three days, the Diamond Heels’ bullpen spoiled a strong start and cost the team the game against East Carolina. This time, 5.2 innings from starter Connor Bovair went to waste when the Pirates scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning en route to a 6-5 win.
Bovair had allowed just two runs on three hits in his start, striking out six and leaving in line for a win after 81 pitches. Nelson Berkwich recorded the last out of the sixth, but allowed two runners to reach in the top of the seventh. Justin Szestowicki relieved Berkwich but allowed four runs to score on three straight hits. The last two of those runs, which gave the Pirates a 6-5 lead, were charged to Szestowicki and hung him with the loss.
Like Friday night’s game in Greenville, UNC threatened to turn the game around in its final at-bats. The first two batters reached in the bottom of the ninth on an error and a hit batsman, but two fly outs and a groundout stranded both men and dealt Carolina another tough loss. It’s already the Diamond Heels’ second loss at Boshamer Stadium this season.
Vance Honeycutt hit his first home run of the season in the loss, and Tomas Frick recorded three hits and was a triple short of the cycle. Mac Horvath also homered and now leads the team with four long balls on the young season.
Carolina will stay at Boshamer Stadium this week, as old foes VCU will visit Chapel Hill for a two-game series on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Diamond Heels and Rams faced off in three memorable games in last summer’s NCAA Tournament, with Carolina winning two out of three to advance to the Super Regionals.
Featured image via Aaron Fitt on Twitter
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 Baseball to Play October Scrimmage vs. NC State at Durham Bulls Athletic ParkThe Diamond Heels will play a fall scrimmage against rival NC State at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in October, the program announced Wednesday. The game is scheduled for Thursday, October 16 at 6 p.m. ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐: ๐ต๐๐๐ ๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐ We're headed back to Durham for a fall faceoff against the Wolfpack! May be a […]
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 […]
›
