Game Day: UNC vs. Pittsburgh Series Preview
Tar Heels kick off ACC play against Coastal Division foe
Coming off a 1-0 loss at No. 12 Liberty on Tuesday, No. 20 North Carolina returns to Boshamer Stadium this weekend for a three-game series against Pittsburgh to open ACC play.
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 (11-2) vs. Pittsburgh (8-4)
UNC ranks: No. 20/15/18 (Baseball America, D1Baseball, USA Today Coaches Poll)
Pittsburgh 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, 2.60 ERA) vs. RHP Matt Gilbertson (1-1, 2.87 ERA)
Brandon Schaeffer got into some early trouble last Friday against Coastal Carolina, but still managed to register a quality start, surrendering three runs (two earned) and striking out a season-high seven over 6 1/3 innings. The WVU Potomac State transfer pitched as well as he has all season in the latter innings – retiring 10 straight between the fourth and seventh – and head coach Scott Forbes said postgame that he and pitching coach Bryant Gaines might have Schaeffer throw more pitches in his pregame bullpen sessions so that he’s sharper out of the gate.
Taking the hill for Pittsburgh will be Matt Gilbertson. The Panthers’ Saturday starter last season, the former College of Southern Nevada transfer has found some success in his transition to the Friday role, but opponents are hitting .295 against him – the highest mark among qualified ACC pitchers. The righty will be making his second start against UNC after giving up two runs on six hits while striking out eight in seven innings on April 17, 2021.
Saturday: RHP Max Carlson (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Logan Evans (2-0, 1.83 ERA)
Like Schaeffer, Max Carlson dealt with traffic on the bases early last Saturday, but he worked around it to turn in four shutout innings. One of only 15 Division I pitchers who has yet to allow an earned run this season (min. one inning pitched per team game), the righty has been a revelation for the Tar Heels in his return from elbow surgery. His stuff is only getting better, too – after sitting mostly 90-92 with his fastball in his first two outings, he got up to 94 against the Chanticleers.
Pittsburgh will counter with Logan Evans, who joined the Panthers this offseason after two years at Penn State. As a reliever for the Nittany Lions, the right-hander recorded a 6.85 ERA in 22 1/3 innings over 14 appearances, but he’s excelled in his move to Pittsburgh’s rotation, thanks in large part to walking only two batters in 19 2/3 innings. His best outing of the season came on Feb. 26, when he tossed a seven-inning shutout at Lipscomb.
Sunday: RHP Connor Bovair (1-1, 2.57 ERA) vs. RHP Billy Corcoran (2-1, 5.00 ERA)
After showing steady progress while splitting time between the bullpen and the midweek rotation to start the season, Connor Bovair will make his first weekend start for UNC against the Panthers. The Siena transfer threw 46 pitches across two innings in his start against Liberty on Tuesday, giving up a run on a solo homer. With Bovair’s move to the weekend rotation, Shaddon Peavyhouse will transition to the bullpen, where the coaches believe his stuff will play up.
Opposing Bovair will be Billy Corcoran. After posting a 3.84 ERA in 24 games (15 starts) over his first two seasons, the right-hander was expected to be Pittsburgh’s ace heading into last year, but an injury derailed him, as he logged just 12 1/3 innings over four starts. One of his starts happened to come against UNC on April 18, 2021, when he allowed five runs (two earned) on four hits – including a pair of home runs – over two innings. Corcoran also faced the Tar Heels on May 11, 2019, when he gave up three runs (one earned) in 6 2/3 innings.
Scouting the Panthers
After sweeping a doubleheader against UNC in April 2021, Pittsburgh appeared to be well on its way to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1995, sitting at 20-10 overall and 14-9 in ACC play. COVID-19 issues within the program, however, forced the Panthers to cancel seven games, and upon their return to the field, they lost nine of their last 12 and missed the tournament. A year later, many of the players from the 2021 team still remain, and they’re as hungry as ever to make the postseason.
Most of Pittsburgh’s experience can be found in its lineup, which features six starting position players from last season. That has been evident early, as the Panthers rank in the top 35 nationally in home runs (20, 16th), home runs per game (1.67, 17th), slugging percentage (.506, 28th), on-base percentage (.420, 29th), walks (70, 30th) and sacrifice bunts (7, 33rd). Notable returners who are off to strong starts this year include Bryce Hulett (.395/.500/.605), Sky Duff (.350/.526/.375), Kyle Hess (.318/.412/.659 with four homers and 14 RBIs) and Brock Franks (.257/.366/.743 with five homers and 11 RBIs). Pittsburgh has also received a major boost from La Salle transfer Tatem Levins (.378/.451/.822 with six homers and 17 RBIs).
On the mound, the Panthers are trying to fill the holes left by third-team All-ACC starter Mitch Myers – who the Oakland Athletics selected in the 12th round of the MLB draft – as well as three veteran relievers in Jordan McCrum, Chase Smith and Chris Gomez – who combined for 59 appearances in 2021. The team currently ranks ninth or worse in the ACC in ERA (4.24, ninth), WHIP (1.39, 10th), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.20, 13th) and strikeout per nine innings (8.7, 13th).
Numbers to know
UNC leads the all-time series with Pittsburgh, 12-11, with all 23 meetings coming since the Panthers joined the ACC before the 2014 season. The Tar Heels are 2-6 in their last eight games against the Panthers.
Entering Thursday, UNC’s offense ranked in the top 50 nationally in hit-by-pitches (24, 23rd), stolen bases (23, 36th), hits (129, 42nd), home runs (15, 44th) and stolen bases per game (1.77, 49th).
Fifth-year outfielder Angel Zarate has reached base in all 13 games this season, extending his on-base streak to 36 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 .382/.478/.588 with 11 doubles, two triples, four homers and 23 walks compared to just 11 strikeouts.
Zarate’s six doubles are tied for the 40th most nationally and are just one shy of his career high, set in 48 games last season.
Fourth-year shortstop Danny Serretti has played in 148 games during his Tar Heel career, making 147 starts. No other UNC player has played in more than 109 games or made more than 80 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 .415/.556/.634 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 six times in 54 plate appearances (11.1%) this season.
Sophomore catcher Tomas Frick leads UNC with 12 RBIs through 13 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 home runs were tied for the 24th 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 Thursday, Honeycutt’s 12 stolen bases were tied for the fourth most in the nation. They’re also the most by a Tar Heel freshman since Michael Russell had 14 in 2012.
Currently 12-for-13, 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 Thursday, UNC’s pitching staff ranked in the top 40 nationally in ERA (1.63, fourth), shutouts (three, seventh), WHIP (1.03, eighth), hits allowed per nine innings (6.21, 13th), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.59, 20th), walks allowed per nine innings (3.03, 26th) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.9, 38th).
The Tar Heels’ bullpen has been phenomenal to start the season, posting a 1.43 ERA over 63 innings.
Third-year lefty Shawn Rapp has given up one run (unearned) while striking out 19 in 10 2/3 innings over 10 appearances, the most in the country. Over the last two seasons, he’s registered a 2.72 ERA as a reliever (12 earned runs in 39 2/3 innings over 30 appearances).
After pitching just two innings over four appearances last season, fourth-year righty Kyle Mott is tied for sixth nationally with eight appearances. He has registered a 1.59 ERA while striking out a team-high 20 over 11 1/3 innings.
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.