Eagles Grab Final Two Games at UNC

The three consecutive wins mark the BC’s first ACC road series sweep since 2010 and first ACC series sweep since 2017.

After posting six runs in the first inning of Friday’s series opener, the Tar Heels scored a combined eight runs over the next 27 innings. After the sixrun inning, which featured five consecutive North Carolina hits and two home runs, it was all BC for the rest of the series. The Eagles settled in, muting the potent Tar Heels’ offense, and outscored North Carolina by 14 for the remainder of the weekend.

“This team has shown over and over that they thrive in those times when things don’t go well, or there’s a chance to respond positively, or there’s some adversity,” BC head coach Mike Gambino said. “This team seems to thrive on that.”

The first six innings of Sunday’s game were reminiscent of Saturday’s low-scoring start. After six innings, the game was tied at two apiece. BC starter John West and North Carolina starter Jake Knapp each pitched four quality innings, and the bullpen kept the score tied until the seventh inning.

In the top of the seventh inning, the Tar Heels’ bullpen crumbled. Joe Vetrano led off with a line drive to right center that didn’t go more than 15 feet off the ground. Vetrano finished the game with three hits in four at-bats.

“It was awesome … when you’re Joe, he’s a guy you’ve gotta game plan against,” Gambino said. “He’s a guy where you do what you can to make sure he doesn’t beat you, and that’s how he gets pitched [to].”

Patrick Roche followed Vetrano’s hit with a walk, and Cameron Leary singled to right field. The table was set for freshman catcher Adonys Guzman, who got the start while captain Peter Burns got a game off to rest.

Guzman lined a single into right field on a 3–1 count, scoring Vetrano from third base and giving the Eagles the 3–2 lead. Vince Cimini followed Guzman with a run-scoring single, and Cohl Mercado scored a third run on a sacrifice fly to center to make it 5–2 to close the top of the seventh inning.

Travis Honeyman added one insurance run in the eighth inning, homering on a 2–0 pitch off the scoreboard into left field, putting BC ahead 6–2.

Relievers Eric Schroeder, Andrew Roman, and Julian Tonghini posted consecutive scoreless innings to secure BC the sweep.

“Sweeps in this league are hard to come by,” Gambino said. “Sweeps on the road are even harder. So, anytime you get a chance [to sweep] … it’s a great weekend.”

Saturday’s game was a pitcher’s duel by all accounts.

Heading into the eighth inning, North Carolina starter Connor Bovair had held the Eagles to one run through seven innings, while BC starter Chris Flynn and relievers Ian Murphy and

KENNETH CHEN / HEIGHTS STAFF