Game Day: UNC at Miami Series Preview
Tar Heels look to continue hot start to ACC play
Off to its best start to ACC play since 2016, No. 14 North Carolina heads to Coral Gables, Florida, this weekend for a three-game series against No. 24 Miami.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the series, which will begin at 7 p.m. Friday and will continue at 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Matchup: UNC (18-3, 5-1 ACC) at Miami (14-6, 4-2 ACC))
UNC ranks: No. 14/13/12 (Baseball America, D1Baseball, USA Today Coaches Poll)
Miami ranks: No. 24/-/- (Baseball America, D1Baseball, USA Today Coaches Poll)
TV: Friday / Saturday / Sunday
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Live Stats: Click here
Pitching matchups
Neither UNC nor Miami have announced their starting pitchers for this weekend.
The Tar Heels are likely to start left-hander Brandon Schaeffer (2-0, 3.51 ERA) on Friday, right-hander Max Carlson (1-0, 1.37) on Saturday and right-hander Connor Bovair (2-1, 2.16) on Sunday, as they’ve done the last two weekends. Schaeffer (back spasms) and Carlson (blister) are both coming off starts last week, though, that were shortened due to injury. If one or neither can pitch, other options could include right-hander Connor Ollio (1-0, 2.08), right-hander Shaddon Peavyhouse (2-2, 3.38) or left-hander Will Sandy (0-0, 2.16).
The Hurricanes will likely start left-hander Carson Palmquist (4-1, 3.91 ERA) – the No. 61 prospect in the 2022 MLB Draft, according to Baseball America – on Friday. They’ll then likely turn to right-hander Karson Ligon (3-1, 1.37) on Saturday. Right-hander Alex McFarlane (2-1, 6.05) – the No. 83 prospect in the 2022 MLB Draft, according to Baseball America – has started the last two Sundays, but after giving up five runs over 2 1/3 innings last Sunday at Clemson, Miami could give righty Alejandro Rosario (0-1, 12.56) – the team’s Opening Day starter and the No. 40 prospect in the 2023 MLB Draft, according to Baseball America – another look in the rotation.
Scouting the Hurricanes
Picked to finish third in the Coastal Division in the ACC preseason coaches poll, Miami entered this season with lots of upside, thanks in large part to back-to-back top-10 recruiting classes – including the No. 1 class in 2020, according to Baseball America. The Hurricanes also faced a lot of turnover, though, with newcomers comprising 54.5% (18 of 33) of the roster. Both of those factors have contributed to an inconsistent start for Miami – which almost lost its second weekend series to Harvard and dropped its last two games to Florida by a combined score of 19-4 before taking two of three games from Clemson last weekend and beating Florida Atlantic for a second time on Wednesday.
Despite returning just two of 10 hitters who made 25 starts or more last season, the Hurricanes rank in the top 50 nationally in walks (117, 17th), sacrifice flies (13, 18th), runs (159, 43rd) and scoring (8.0 runs per game, 47th). First baseman CJ Kayfus has provided a spark at the top of the lineup, slashing .359/.463/.538 and reaching base safely in all 20 games. Meanwhile, shortstop Dominic Pitelli – who hit .219/.289/.320 across 52 games last season – has been a revelation in the bottom of the order, batting .311/.376/.473. Neither, however, are Miami’s most feared hitter. That title belongs to third baseman Yohandy Morales (.270/.404/.514), the No. 24 prospect in the 2023 MLB Draft, according to Baseball America.
Much of the Hurricanes’ issues can be attributed to their pitching, as they’ve posted a 4.50 ERA while walking 4.3 batters per nine innings and hitting 18. They don’t lack for talent, though, as Palmquist – a member of the Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list – is one of the country’s best lefties and Ligon is one of the nation’s best freshmen. Andrew Walters (0-0, 0.00) has also been one of the country’s best closers, notching five saves while striking out 21 and walking two over 11 2/3 innings.
Numbers to know
UNC trails the all-time series with Miami, 36-41-1, but has won 10 of 14 meetings since 2017.
This weekend will mark the Tar Heels’ first trip to Coral Gables since taking two of three games from the Hurricanes in 2018.
Entering Thursday, UNC ranked in the top 100 nationally in hit-by-pitches (36, 23rd), home runs (27, 39th), stolen bases (34, 42nd), home runs per game (1.29, 45th), hits (204, 54th), stolen bases per game (1.62, 57th), slugging percentage (.462, 70th), on-base percentage (.392, 76th), batting average (.285, 83rd), and runs (135, 89th).
Fifth-year outfielder Angel Zarate has reached base in all 21 games this season, extending his on-base streak to 44 games, dating back to April 4, 2021. In that span, he’s slashing .394/.485/.576 with 14 doubles, two triples, four homers and 27 walks compared to just 14 strikeouts.
Having also recorded a 39-game on-base streak between the 2019 and 2021 seasons, Zarate has reached base in 87 of his last 89 games.
Zarate’s nine doubles are tied for the 35th most nationally and are already a career high. He recorded seven doubles in 48 games last season.
Fourth-year shortstop Danny Serretti has played in 156 games during his Tar Heel career, making 155 starts. No other UNC player has played in more than 114 games or made more than 80 starts at the Division I level.
Sophomore Johnny Castagnozzi’s 10 multi-hit games are seven more than he had in 42 games last season.
Castagnozzi is slashing .384/.511/.699 with 11 extra-base hits (five doubles and six homers). He recorded eight extra-base hits (four doubles and four homers) all last season.
After striking out in 38.7% of his plate appearances last season, Castagnozzi has struck out just 11 times in 92 plate appearances (12%) this season. His 12 walks are also two more than he had all last season.
Sophomore catcher Tomas Frick leads UNC with 19 RBIs through 21 games. He recorded 16 RBIs in 53 games last season.
Sophomore third baseman Mac Horvath has tied the game, given the Tar Heels the lead or pushed their lead to two in the sixth inning or later six times this season.
Horvath’s team-high 15 walks are as many as he had in 46 games last season.
After not even attempting a steal last season, Horvath is 8-for-9 on stolen-base attempts this year.
Entering Thursday, freshman outfielder Vance Honeycutt’s eight homers were tied for the 19th most nationally and were the second most by any freshman – N.C. State’s Tommy White has hit 11.
Entering Thursday, Honeycutt’s 15 stolen bases were tied for the eighth most in the nation and were the most by any freshman. They’re also the most by a UNC freshman since Mike Cavasinni had 16 in 2006.
Entering Thursday, the Tar Heels’ pitching staff ranked in the top 35 in ERA (2.07, second), WHIP (1.11, seventh), shutouts (three, 13th), hits allowed per nine innings (6.98, 15th), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.46, 16th), walks allowed per nine innings (3.03, 19th) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.5, 34th).
UNC’s bullpen has been phenomenal to start the season, posting a 1.76 ERA over 102 1/3 innings.
Third-year lefty Shawn Rapp has given up six runs (three earned) while striking out 26 in 15 innings over 15 appearances, tied for the most in the country. Over the last two seasons, he’s registered a 3.07 ERA as a reliever (15 earned runs in 44 innings over 35 appearances).
After pitching two innings over four appearances last season, fourth-year righty Kyle Mott is tied for eighth nationally with 12 appearances. He has registered a 1.66 ERA while striking out a team-high 30 over 21 2/3 innings. His five wins are also tied for the most nationally.
Fifth-year senior Caden O’Brien’s 98 career appearances (six starts) are the sixth most among active Division I players and the ninth most by any pitcher in program history.
O’Brien’s four saves this season are already a career high. He notched three saves last season.