CCU Eight-Run Eighth Dooms Diamond Heels

Tuesday, March 28

Chapel Hill, N.C.

4 p.m.

North Carolina

18-7

Coastal Carolina

15-7

Coastal Carolina

North Carolina

Photo by: AINSLEY E. FAUTH

March 28, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: UNC Athletics Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 13 North Carolina held a three-run lead going into the eighth inning, but No. 19 Coastal Carolina put up eight runs in the frame to defeat the Tar Heels, 12-7, Tuesday at Boshamer Stadium.

UNC (18-7) surrendered five hits, issued four walks, and hit a batter in the eighth while using four pitchers. With two runs already home, CCU pinch-hitter Zach Beach drew a four-pitch, bases loaded walk to tie the game. Consecutive hits by Caden Bodine, Derek Bender, and Tanner Garrison plated five runs as the Chanticleers sent nine consecutive batters to the plate between the first and second out of the inning.

"We're ahead most of the time after the sixth or seventh inning," UNC head coach Scott Forbes said. "We have to figure out how to be better in those seven through nine innings on the mound.

"That hasn't happened to us too often and I don't think it's going to happen to us too often. Hopefully, we can use this to make us better. You have to be able to bounce back, you have to have a short memory and those guys will and they'll get better."

Kevin Eaise, Nelson Berkwich, Matt Poston and Will Sandy each gave up two runs in the decisive eighth inning.

"Our guys played well except for one inning," Forbes. "At the end of the day, we've got to have some guys step up out of the bullpen and our starters need to pitch deeper because that affects the bullpen. I've challenged them to do that."

Forbes was ejected during the eighth inning for arguing the home plate umpire's call of an 0-2 pitch to Payton Eeles.

Eeles worked himself into a full count and earned a base on balls with Beach on deck.

"I hadn't argued balls and strikes the entire night, but I argued that [call] because I thought it was the most pivotal pitch of the game," Forbes explained.

Johnny Castagnozzi and Casey Cook each collected two hits for the Tar Heels, while Castagnozzi and Tomas Frick each drove in a pair of runs.

UNC scored three runs in the third inning but didn't record its first hit until the fifth, due to two errors, two hit batters and a wild pitch for a 3-1 lead. Coastal Carolina (15-7) tied the game in the next half-inning on a two-run single by Anthony Galason.

RBI singles by Frick and Cook in the fifth and a two-run double off the bat of Castagnozzi in the seventh gave UNC a three-run lead, 7-4.

Bodine and Bender led the Chanticleers with three hits apiece as part of Coastal Carolina's 11-hit barrage.

Teddy Sharkey (3-0) was credited with the win following 2.1 innings of relief, while Nelson Berkwich (1-1) took the loss.

Freshman Cameron Padgett made his first start as a Tar Heel and pitched 3.2 innings, striking out three.

"He was a real bright spot," Forbes said. "You always want to point out the positives. He's going to be good. We wanted to start him to try to save some of our bullpen. We took Eaise out to keep his pitch count down because we're going to need him at Notre Dame, and I thought he pitched well for the most part."

The Tar Heels return to the diamond on Friday, March 31, against the Fighting Irish in South Bend, Ind. The first pitch is slated for 3 p.m.