UNC announced Monday that junior pitcher Joey Lancellotti will miss the remainder of the 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last week.

That procedure repairs the ulnar collateral ligament inside the elbow and is extremely common for pitchers, but there is typically a year-long recovery period.

Lancellotti–a right-hander from Bethlehem, PA–sustained the injury in a game last month. He made just four appearances on the mound this season, with his most recent coming on March 13 in a win at home over Clemson.

In those four games out of the bullpen this season, Lancellotti struck out 12 hitters over 11 innings of work while allowing just three earned runs.

He has posted a career ERA of 3.14 across 63 career appearances as a Tar Heel dating back to his freshman season in 2018–UNC’s most recent College World Series appearance.

In addition to his work as a pitcher, Lancellotti has also contributed as a hitter. Added to the lineup during the shortened 2020 campaign, he hit .233 with two home runs and 10 RBIs through 18 games.

The news that he will miss the remainder of the 2021 season comes as a huge blow for the UNC bullpen, and for a team that has lost five of its last six games following a strong start to the year under new head coach Scott Forbes.

Lancellotti is expected to return to the mound for the Tar Heels in 2022.

 

Photo via UNC Athletics

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