Baseball Rally Comes Up One Run Short At ECU

Friday, February 24

Greenville, N.C.

5 p.m.

North Carolina

4-2

East Carolina

4-1

North Carolina

East Carolina

Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI

February 24, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: UNC Athletics Communications

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Second baseman Jacob Starling sliced a go-ahead, two-run single as No. 11 East Carolina scored six runs, including three with two outs, in the eighth inning, rallying for a 6-5 victory over No. 12 North Carolina Friday night.

Josh Moylan, Joey Berini and Luke Nowak each had an RBI-single and Nathan Chrismon scored on a fielding error in the eighth for the Pirates, who trailed 3-0 entering the frame.

The Tar Heels used four pitchers in the eighth inning after seven solid innings from starter Max Carlson, who struck out nine and yielded a mere two hits on 95 pitches.

Alec Makarewicz drew a walk to lead off the inning but was erased on a fielder's choice. Moylan and Berini followed with back-to-back doubles to cut the Tar Heels' lead to 3-2. Jacob Jenks-Cowart then singled through the left side to put runners at the corners.

A fielding error allowed Chrismon to score the tying run before Starling put the Pirates on top.

However, the Tar Heels did not go down without a fight. A dropped fly ball by Jenks-Cowart with one out in the ninth opened the door for a UNC rally.

Vance Honeycutt took advantage of his RBI opportunity and doubled down the left field line to plate Colby Wilkerson. Mac Horvath followed with an RBI-double to bring the tying run to the plate with one out. Horvath moved over to third on a ground ball out, but was stranded, ending UNC's four-game winning streak.

Jackson Van De Brake hit a solo home run and Wilkerson had an two-run double for North Carolina.

Wilkerson's two-run double in the seventh extended the Tar Heels' lead to 3-0.

Carlson tossed a career-high 7.0 innings and struck out the second most batters in his career, nine. ECU starter Trey Yesavage fanned eight hitters in 6.0 innings and allowed one run on three hits.

Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman (1-0) picked up the win by striking out both batters he faced in the eighth inning and Zach Root got the save despite giving up two runs in the ninth.

Redshirt freshman Dalton Pence (1-1) took the loss after allowing three runs in one-third of an inning.

The series will resume Sunday, Feb. 26, at Boshamer Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.