Game Day: UNC vs. Coastal Carolina Series Preview
Tar Heels, Chanticleers meet for first-ever three-game series
Coming off a pair of series wins to open the season, North Carolina will look to keep rolling as it welcomes Coastal Carolina to Boshamer Stadium for a three-game series this weekend.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the series, which will begin at 4 p.m. Friday and will continue at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Matchup: UNC (8-1) vs. Coastal Carolina (7-2)
UNC ranks: No. -/24/24 (Baseball America, D1Baseball, USA Today Coaches Poll)
Coastal Carolina ranks: No. -/-/- (Baseball America, D1Baseball, USA Today Coaches Poll)
TV: Friday / Saturday / Sunday
Listen: TuneIn
Live Stats: Click here
Pitching matchups
Friday: LHP Brandon Schaeffer (2-0, 2.45 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Parker (0-0, 6.43 ERA)
After shaking off the nerves that he felt in his first start for the Tar Heels, Brandon Schaeffer came out on the attack in his second last Friday against East Carolina. The WVU Potomac State transfer gave up one run on four hits in five innings, striking out five and walking one while throwing 56 of his 81 pitches for strikes. Despite the lefty’s solid line, head coach Scott Forbes said he didn’t think Schaeffer’s off-speed offerings were “where (they) should be,” which will be worth monitoring Friday.
The most experienced pitcher on Coastal Carolina’s roster, Nick Parker has struggled in his first two starts, allowing 10 runs (five earned) and 15 hits in seven innings. Last time out, the right-hander surrendered five runs (four earned) on seven hits over 2 1/3 innings against Rutgers. Friday will mark his second career game against UNC. As a freshman, Parker allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits while striking out four and walking two over five innings in a 6-1 Tar Heel win on April 23, 2019.
Saturday: RHP Max Carlson (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. LHP Reid VanScoter (1-0, 2.25 ERA)
As impressive as he was against Seton Hall on Feb. 19 in his first appearance since undergoing an internal bracing procedure on his right elbow last May, Max Carlson was even better last Saturday, holding ECU scoreless on four hits over 5 2/3 innings. The righty struck out five and walked one while throwing 81 pitches, 50 for strikes. Carlson said afterward that it will “take a few weeks to feel comfortable out there again” coming off surgery, and Saturday will mark another step toward that.
Opposing Carlson will be Reid VanScoter, who looks like he might be finally coming into his own after missing the 2019 and 2020 seasons due to injury. Now in his third season at Coastal Carolina, VanScoter – who transferred to the Chanticleers in 2019 after two years at Binghamton – is coming off the best start of his collegiate career last Saturday against Illinois. In completing a career-high seven innings, two more than his previous best, the left-hander gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out five and walking zero.
Sunday: RHP Shaddon Peavyhouse (0-1, 2.70 ERA) vs. RHP Elliot Carney (0-0, 7.27 ERA)
Perhaps the biggest storyline surrounding this series, Shaddon Peavyhouse – who spent four seasons at Coastal Carolina before transferring to UNC this offseason – will take the mound against his former team Sunday. The righty is coming off a solid but unspectacular start at ECU last Sunday, when he allowed two runs (one earned) on zero hits and one walk while striking out two over three innings. The Tar Heels made three errors behind Peavyhouse – who threw two wild pitches – in that outing. Given his propensity to generate groundballs with his sinker, it’ll be interesting to see if his infield can pick him up this Sunday.
Taking the hill for the Chanticleers will be Elliot Carney, who joined the team this offseason as a graduate transfer from Wofford. After throwing just two-thirds of an inning in his first season at Wofford in 2020, the right-hander broke out last season, posting a 3.07 ERA en route to being named the Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year. Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 41 transfer in college baseball, he has struggled early, allowing nine runs (seven earned) across 8 2/3 innings. Walks have been his biggest issue, as he’s issued six while striking out 12.
Scouting the Chanticleers
After winning the Sun Belt Tournament in 2018 and 2019, Coastal Carolina struggled to a 27-24 record and a last-place finish in the league’s East Division last season. With that in mind, the Chanticleers hit the transfer portal hard this offseason, bringing in seven newcomers from Division I schools and two from junior colleges. So far, that strategy is paying dividends, as Coastal Carolina sits at 7-2.
Entering Thursday, the Chanticleers ranked in the top 25 nationally in sacrifice bunts (7, tied for ninth), on-base percentage (.445, 17th), doubles (23, tied for 17th), walks (53, tied for 18th), sacrifice flies (6, tied for 18th), hits (94, tied for 21st) and batting average (.325, 23rd). Shortstop Eric Brown – the Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year and the No. 49 player in Baseball America’s MLB draft prospect rankings – anchors the lineup. Coming off a strong summer in the Cape Cod League, he’s slashing .419/.558/.645. Other major returners include infielders Cooper Weiss (.467/.526/.733) and Dale Thomas (.371/.463/.743, two homers and 11 RBIs), while William & Mary transfer Matt McDermott (.385/.467/.538) and Rhode Island transfer Austin White (.361/.444/.417, 13 RBIs) have made the biggest impact among the newcomers.
On the mound, Coastal Carolina welcomed Carney and Cal State Fullerton transfer Michael Knorr (1-0, 1.46 ERA). Although Carney has struggled early, Knorr has been the Chanticleers’ best starter, turning in quality outings against Kent State and Ball State. The righty, however, is expected to be out this weekend, per the team, along with relievers Reece Maniscalco (0-0, 0.00 ERA) and Teddy Sharkey (0-0, 0.00 ERA), who has notched two saves. As a staff, the Chanticleers have logged a 4.15 ERA and tallied 16 hit batters, tied for the 18th most in the country.
Coastal Carolina’s most apparent weakness early in the season has been its defense, as the Chanticleers rank in the bottom 30 nationally in fielding percentage (.942, 262nd).
Numbers to know
UNC leads the all-time series with Coastal Carolina, 44-21, but is 3-5 in the last eight meetings.
This weekend marks the first-ever three-game series between the two programs.
Entering Thursday, the Tar Heels’ offense ranked in the top 50 nationally in home runs (14, tied for 10th), slugging percentage (.522, 20th), home runs per game (1.56, tied for 22nd), runs (77, 24th), stolen bases (18, tied for 27th), hit-by-pitches (16, tied for 27th), hits (92, tied for 29th), stolen bases per game (2.00, tied for 38th), batting average (.306, 39th), scoring (8.6 runs per game, 41st) and on-base percentage (.413, 45th).
UNC’s 77 runs are the most it has scored in its first nine games since 2013, when it scored 83.
The Tar Heels’ 14 home runs are their most in their first nine games since 2008, when they hit 15.
Fifth-year outfielder Angel Zarate has reached base in all nine games this season, extending his on-base streak to 32 games, dating back to last season. In that span, he’s slashing .383/.479/.600 with nine doubles, two triples, four home runs and 21 walks compared to just 10 strikeouts.
After playing sparingly in his first two seasons at UNC, Zarate has hit .353/.444/.509 in 76 games over the last three seasons. He’s drawn 46 walks compared to 32 strikeouts in that span.
Fourth-year shortstop Danny Serretti has played in 144 games during his UNC career, making 143 starts. No other Tar Heel has played in more than 109 games or made more than 78 starts at the Division I level.
Sophomore infielder Johnny Castagnozzi’s nine hits in the first four games were the most by a UNC player through the first four games of a season since Levi Michael had nine in 2011.
Castagnozzi became the only player to record multiple hits in each of the Tar Heels’ first four games since Mike Fox became UNC’s head coach before the 1999 season.
Castagnozzi’s five multi-hit games are two more than he had in 42 games last season.
Castagnozzi is slashing .452/.528/.742 with five extra-base hits (three doubles and two 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 five times in 36 plate appearances (13.9%) this season.
Sophomore catcher Tomas Frick’s 10 RBIs are tied for the team lead through nine games. He recorded 16 RBIs in 53 games last season.
With his leadoff home run in the bottom of the fourth inning of the season opener, freshman outfielder Vance Honeycutt became the first Tar Heel to homer in his first collegiate at-bat since Drew Poulk on Feb. 16, 2007, against Seton Hall.
Honeycutt’s three hits in the season opener were the most by a UNC player in his collegiate debut since Wood Myers had three against the College of Charleston on Feb. 15, 2014.
Entering Thursday, Honeycutt’s five homers were tied for the sixth most in the country and were the second most by any freshman – N.C. State’s Tommy White has hit nine.
Entering Thursday, Honeycutt was tied for eighth nationally in runs scored (15), was tied for 14th in total bases (30) and was 15th in slugging percentage (1.034).
Entering Thursday, Honeycutt’s 10 stolen bases were the third most nationally and the most by a Tar Heel freshman since Logan Warmoth and Brian Miller had 11 and 10, respectively, in 2015.
Honeycutt is the first UNC freshman to start a season 10-for-10 on stolen-base attempts since Fox became the Tar Heels’ head coach before the 1999 season.
Entering Thursday, UNC’s pitching staff ranked in the top 50 nationally in ERA (1.69, tied for eighth), shutouts (2, tied for 10th), strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.00, tied for 16th), walks allowed per nine innings (2.70, tied for 19th), WHIP (1.05, 24th) and hits allowed per nine innings (6.75, tied for 40th).
The Tar Heels bullpen has been phenomenal to start the year, giving up 11 runs (eight earned) while striking out 61 and walking 14 in 42 innings.
Third-year lefty Shawn Rapp has given up one run (unearned) while striking out 13 in seven innings over seven appearances, the most in the country. Over the last two seasons, he’s registered a 3.00 ERA as a reliever (12 earned runs in 36 innings over 27 appearances).
Fifth-year senior Caden O’Brien’s 91 career appearances (six starts) are the sixth most among active Division I players.
Frick threw out 15 basestealers last season, the most by a UNC freshman catcher since Fox became the Tar Heels’ head coach before the 1999 season. Chris Iannetta and Tim Federowicz each threw out 14 in 2002 and 2006, respectively.