Game Day: UNC vs. Liberty, Georgetown
Tar Heels visit Flames Tuesday, host Hoyas Wednesday
On the heels of a 5-0 week, No. 20 North Carolina will travel to No. 12 Liberty on Tuesday for its second road game of the season before welcoming Georgetown to Boshamer Stadium on Wednesday.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of both games, which are scheduled for 4 p.m.
Matchups: UNC (11-1) at Liberty (10-1), vs. Georgetown (7-4)
UNC ranks: No. 20/15/18 (Baseball America, D1Baseball, USA Today Coaches Poll)
Liberty ranks: No. 12/14/16 (Baseball America, D1Baseball, USA Today Coaches Poll)
Georgetown ranks: No. -/-/- (Baseball America, D1Baseball, USA Today Coaches Poll)
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Pitching matchups
Tuesday: TBA vs. RHP Dylan Cumming (0-0, 6.75 ERA)
The Tar Heels haven’t announced their starter for Tuesday or Wednesday, and it’ll be interesting to see who they turn to after using eight pitchers Sunday. Connor Bovair could be a possibility, despite throwing 22 pitches in two scoreless innings of relief Sunday. The Siena transfer started last Tuesday’s game against Longwood just two days after throwing 25 pitches, and he allowed one run while tossing 74 pitches in 4 2/3 innings. Other options could include Will Sandy (0-0, 1.50 ERA), who has made two midweek starts this season; Connor Ollio (1-0, 2.45 ERA); Carson Starnes (0-0, 0.00 ERA); and Shaddon Peavyhouse (0-1, 2.89 ERA), who pitching coach Bryant Gaines said could start Tuesday or Wednesday after throwing 38 pitches Sunday.
Taking the mound for the Flames will be fifth-year senior Dylan Cumming. Coming off a 2021 season in which he registered a 6.14 ERA in 58 2/3 innings over 12 games (eight starts), the right-hander gave up five runs on two homers – including a grand slam – over three innings of relief in Liberty’s season opener at Florida. In his two games since then, though, he’s been quite effective, pitching a scoreless inning of relief against North Carolina A&T and giving up one run on two hits across four innings in his start against Radford last Tuesday.
Wednesday: TBA vs. RHP Carter Bosch (0-1, 5.00 ERA)
Bosch was one of the few standouts for Georgetown during a frustrating 2021 season, notching a team-best 3.45 ERA and holding opponents to a .152 batting average in 31 1/3 innings over nine games (six starts). The righty is coming off his first start of the season last Wednesday against Maryland Eastern Shore, when he gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits while striking out three and walking two over four innings. He’d previously made three relief appearances, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out six and walking one in five innings.
Scouting the Flames
Ever since former Tar Heel assistant Scott Jackson took over as Liberty’s head coach prior to the 2017 season, the Flames have steadily been on the rise, breaking through to regionals in 2019 and eliminating ACC champion Duke on their way to a regional final in 2021. Coming into this year, the obvious next step in the team’s progression was to reach a super regional. And although it’s early, Liberty appears to have more than enough firepower to make such a run, as it showed in winning two of three games at Florida to open the season.
Pitching has been the foundation of the Flames’ success under Jackson, and that’s no different this year. Entering Monday, Liberty ranked in the top 25 nationally in WHIP (1.02, 11th), hits allowed per nine innings (6.06, 15th), strikeouts per nine innings (11.7, 15th), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.74, 20th) and ERA (2.66, 22nd). The Flames’ bullpen – led by lefty Mason Fluharty (0-0, 0.00 ERA with 14 strikeouts and no walks in 7 2/3 innings over five appearances) and righty David Erickson (1-0, 1.29 ERA with 12 strikeouts and four walks in seven innings over four appearances) – has been particularly effective, posting a 2.23 ERA (12 earned runs in 48 1/3 innings).
Offensively, Liberty has been almost just as impressive in the early going. Entering Monday, the Flames ranked in the top 50 nationally in home runs (18, 18th), home runs per game (1.64, 20th), walks (64, 27th), scoring (8.8 runs per game, 29th), runs (97, 32nd), on-base percentage (.412, 38th) and slugging percentage (.484, 47th). Aaron Anderson (.356/.453/.667 with three home runs and 11 RBIs), Gray Betts (.318/.426/.500 with 10 RBIs) and Brady Gulakowski (.286/.375/.524 with two homers and 15 RBIs) earned first-team All-ASUN honors last season and are off to strong starts this spring. Division II Seton Hill transfer Derek Orndorff (.441/.635/1.324 with an NCAA-best 10 homers and 20 RBIs) and Morehead State transfer Stephen Hill (.333/.481/.436 with 12 RBIs) have also made an immediate impact.
After leading Division I with a .984 fielding percentage last season, the Flames continue to be among the nation’s best teams defensively. They’ve posted a .987 fielding percentage so far this season, which ranks 13th in Division I.
Scouting the Hoyas
Perhaps no college baseball program was more impacted by the pandemic last season than Georgetown, as COVID-19 protocols kept the Hoyas and first-year head coach Edwin Thompson from holding fall practices and prevented them from playing their first game until April 7. Ultimately, they played just 31 games and struggled mightily to a 6-25 mark. But with a more normal offseason under their belts, they entered this season looking to take a step forward, and in one way they already have – winning seven of their first 11 games, one more than they won all of last season.
Georgetown ranked in the bottom 10 nationally in several offensive stats last season – including last in slugging percentage (.246) and second to last in batting average (.195). That prompted the Hoyas to bring in five position player transfers this offseason, but so far this year, Georgetown has been led by three returners hitting over .400 in Jake Hyde (.467/.529/.756 with three homers and nine RBIs), Andrew Ciufo (.412/.487/.824, with four homers and 13 RBIs) and Adam Dapkewicz (.400/.471/.667). All three are a combined 10-for-10 on stolen-base attempts, and thanks in large part to their efforts, the Hoyas rank in the top 30 nationally in sacrifice bunts (9, 11th), home runs (17, 22nd), home runs per game (1.55, 23rd), stolen bases (23, 28th) and stolen bases per game (2.09, 29th). They’re also averaging 7.5 runs, 4.9 more than they averaged last season.
On the mound, Georgetown brought back three valuable pitchers in right-handers Bosch and Nolan McCarthy (2-1, 4.30 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings over three starts) and left-hander Angelo Tonas (0-0, 1.08 ERA with 10 strikeouts and one walk in 8 1/3 innings over seven appearances). But while the offense has improved, the staff has fallen a bit short of expectations, registering a 5.66 ERA. Walks have been an issue for the Hoyas, who are averaging 5.1 per nine innings.
Numbers to know
UNC leads the all-time series with Liberty, 23-5, but dropped two games to the Flames last season.
Tuesday’s game will mark the first time the Tar Heels and Liberty have met as ranked teams.
Now in his sixth season as the Flames’ head coach, Scott Jackson spent eight seasons (2009-16) as an assistant coach at UNC, helping the Tar Heels to a 345-156 record and three College World Series appearances (2009, 2011 and 2013).
UNC pitching coach Bryant Gaines served as the pitching coach at Liberty for three seasons (2017-19). He helped lead the Flames to the ASUN title and an NCAA regional berth in his final season on Jackson's staff in 2019.
Georgetown leads the all-time series with the Tar Heels, 10-7. Tuesday’s game will be the first between the teams since March 8, 1982, when UNC won 14-5 in seven innings in Chapel Hill.
Entering Monday, the Tar Heels’ offense ranked in the top 50 nationally in hit-by pitches (23, 20th), home runs (15, 33rd), stolen bases (22, 33rd), hits (120, 36th) and stolen bases per game (1.83, 42nd).
Fifth-year outfielder Angel Zarate has reached base in all 12 games this season, extending his on-base streak to 35 games, dating back to last season. Having also reached base in 39 straight games between the 2019 and 2021 seasons, he’s the only UNC player to have two on-base streaks of 35 games or more since 1999, Mike Fox’s first season as the Tar Heels’ head coach.
Logan Warmoth’s 41-game on-base streak between the 2016 and 2017 seasons is the longest by any UNC player since 1999.
During his current on-base streak, Zarate is slashing .375/.471/.586 with 11 doubles, two triples, four homers and 23 walks compared to just 11 strikeouts.
Fourth-year shortstop Danny Serretti has played in 147 games during his Tar Heel career, making 146 starts. No other UNC player has played in more than 109 games or made more than 79 starts at the Division I level.
Sophomore infielder Johnny Castagnozzi’s nine hits in the first four games were the most by a Tar Heel 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 UNC’s first four games since Fox became the Tar Heels’ 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 .421/.560/.658 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 50 plate appearances (10%) this season.
Sophomore catcher Tomas Frick leads UNC with 12 RBIs through 12 games. He recorded 16 RBIs in 53 games last season.
Sophomore first baseman Hunter Stokely is riding a five-game hitting streak, highlighted by four straight multi-hit games. He’s 9-for-16 during the streak. Over 12 games last season, he was 5-for-27.
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 Monday, Honeycutt’s five home runs were tied for the 18th most in the country and were tied for the second most by any freshman – N.C. State’s Tommy White has hit nine and Western Kentucky’s Ty Batusich has also hit five.
Entering Monday, Honeycutt’s 12 stolen bases were tied for the third most in the nation. They’re also the most by a Tar Heel freshman since Michael Russell had 14 in 2012.
Currently 12-for-12, Honeycutt is the first UNC freshman to start a season 10-for-10 or better on stolen-base attempts since Fox became the Tar Heels’ head coach before the 1999 season.
Entering Monday, UNC’s pitching staff ranked in the top 30 nationally in ERA (1.67, sixth), shutouts (three, seventh), WHIP (1.04, 13th), hits allowed per nine innings (6.33, 19th), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.50, 26th) and walks allowed per nine innings (3.00, 27th).
Third-year lefty Shawn Rapp has given up one run (unearned) while striking out 16 in 8 2/3 innings over nine appearances, the most in the country. Over the last two seasons, he’s registered a 2.87 ERA as a reliever (12 earned runs in 37 2/3 innings over 29 appearances).
Fifth-year senior Caden O’Brien’s 93 career appearances (six starts) are the sixth most among active Division I players.
Frick threw out 15 basestealers last season, the most by a Tar Heek freshman catcher since Fox became UNC’s head coach before the 1999 season. Chris Iannetta and Tim Federowicz each threw out 14 in 2002 and 2006, respectively.