Game Day: UNC vs. South Carolina Preview
Tar Heels, Gamecocks renew rivalry in Charlotte
For the sixth time in seven years, No. 20 North Carolina will travel to Truist Field, home of the Triple-A Charlotte Knights, on Wednesday for a midweek contest with South Carolina.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the 7 p.m. neutral-site matchup.
Matchup: UNC (20-8) vs. South Carolina (13-14)
UNC ranks: No. 20/22/20 (Baseball America, D1Baseball, USA Today Coaches Poll)
South Carolina ranks: No. -/-/- (Baseball America, D1Baseball, USA Today Coaches Poll)
TV: ACCNX
Listen: TuneIn
Live Stats: Click here
Pitching matchup
RHP Gage Gillian (1-1, 3.57 ERA) vs. RHP Eli Jones (0-0, 27.00 ERA)
For the second time in 86 collegiate games, Gage Gillian will get the start Wednesday. The former Walters State transfer made his first career start against Texas Tech in the 2021 Lubbock Regional, surrendering two runs on three hits – including a home run – while striking out three over two innings. That homer was one of four he allowed in 50 innings last season. Through 22 2/3 innings this season, he’s given up six.
Jones, a true freshman, will be making his second career appearance against UNC. The No. 235 right-handed pitcher in the Class of 2021 according to Perfect Game, his only other appearance came in a start against Presbyterian on March 29, when he gave up three runs on five hits while striking out one in one inning.
Scouting the Gamecocks
Coming off its first NCAA regional appearance in three years, South Carolina entered this season with high hopes, due in large part to its pitching staff. The Gamecocks, however, have been ravaged by injuries on the mound, namely to weekend starters Julian Bosnic and James Hicks, and have subsequently posted inconsistent results – ranging from series wins over Texas and Vanderbilt to sweeps at the hands of Clemson and Tennessee as well as losses to Presbyterian and The Citadel.
Entering Tuesday, the Gamecocks ranked 150th nationally and last in the SEC with a 5.38 ERA. Home runs have been an issue, as they’ve given up 34. The number of free passes they’ve surrendered have been more influential, though; they rank 169th nationally in walks allowed per nine innings (4.56) and 219th in hit batters (24).
As much trouble as South Carolina has had patching things together on the mound, its offense hasn’t been any better. The Gamecocks are averaging 5.6 runs, which ranks 190th nationally and last in the SEC. They’re also last in the league in batting average (.261, 196th nationally), on-base percentage (.366, 156th) and slugging percentage (.388, 201st). First baseman/outfielder Brandt Belk, a Missouri transfer, has been the team’s most consistent hitter, slashing .347/.422/.551 with four homers, 20 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. Other notable names include outfielder Andrew Eyster (.333/.411/.516 with four homers and 27 RBIs) and infielder Braylen Wimmer (.324/.364/.454 with three homers and 21 RBIs). The latter is Baseball America’s No. 156 prospect in the 2022 MLB Draft.
Numbers to know
UNC leads the all-time series with South Carolina, 66-36-1.
Wednesday’s game will be the sixth between the Tar Heels and Gamecocks at Truist Field, formerly known as BB&T Ballpark. UNC is 4-1 in the previous five games, having outscored South Carolina 51-15.
Gamecocks head coach Mark Kingston played for the Tar Heels from 1989-92. He won the Francis “Tripp” Bourne Award as the team’s most dedicated player as a junior, and was a team captain his senior season.
UNC is 39-15 in games played in professional baseball stadiums since 2011. It has outscored its opponents 382-198 in those games.
Entering Tuesday, the Tar Heels ranked in the top 100 nationally in hit-by-pitches (41, 45th), home runs (33, 53rd), hits (270, 58th), home runs per game (1.18, 59th), stolen bases (40, 61st) and stolen bases per game (1.43, 82nd).
Fifth-year outfielder Angel Zarate didn’t reach base for the first time this season Sunday, ending his on-base streak at 50 games. During the streak – which began on April 4, 2021 – he slashed .382/.474/.545 with 15 doubles, two triples, four homers and 31 walks compared to just 19 strikeouts.
Zarate is slashing .368/.455/.482 this season. His 42 hits were tied for the 45th most in the country entering Tuesday, and his 10 doubles – three more than his previous career high – were tied for the 79th most nationally.
D1Baseball recently named Zarate the No. 43 outfielder in the country.
Fourth-year shortstop Danny Serretti has played in 163 games during his UNC career, making 162 starts. No other Tar Heel player has played in more than 121 games or made more than 95 starts at the Division I level.
With 45 career doubles, tied for the second most among active ACC hitters, Serretti is close to moving into the top 10 in UNC history. Dan Moylan (1998-2000) ranks 10th with 49. Jarrett Shearin (1996-99) holds the school record of 73.
Redshirt sophomore catcher Eric Grintz has eight RBIs in 12 plate appearances (seven at-bats) this season.
Sophomore Johnny Castagnozzi’s 11 multi-hit games are eight more than he had in 42 games last season.
Castagnozzi is slashing .333/.449/.581 with 12 extra-base hits (five doubles and seven home runs). 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 18 times in 127 plate appearances (14.2%) this season. His 13 walks are also three more than he had all last season.
D1Baseball recently named Castagnozzi the No. 7 second baseman in the country.
Sophomore catcher Tomas Frick leads UNC with 22 RBIs through 28 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 21 walks are tied for the 84th most nationally and are six more than he had in 46 games last season.
After not even attempting a steal last season, Horvath is 10-for-11 on stolen-base attempts this year.
Horvath registered five batted balls of 100 mph or higher in the Virginia Tech series, according to UNC’s analytics team. He entered the weekend with 13 in the 21 games in which data was available.
Sophomore first baseman Hunter Stokely is slashing .286/.409/.299 this season. Of his 22 hits, 21 have been singles. He’s also recorded a double.
Entering Tuesday, freshman outfielder Vance Honeycutt’s eight homers were tied for the 61st most nationally and tied for the third most by any freshman – N.C. State’s Tommy White has hit 12, Charlotte’s Cam Fisher has hit nine and seven other freshmen have hit eight.
Entering Tuesday, Honeycutt’s 19 stolen bases were tied for the 10th most in the country and were the most by any freshman. They’re also the most by a UNC freshman since Adam Greenberg and Russ Adams had 28 and 20, respectively, in 2000.
D1Baseball recently named Honeycutt the No. 66 outfielder in the country.
Entering Tuesday, the Tar Heels’ pitching staff ranked in the top 40 nationally in ERA (3.07, eighth), shutouts (three, 17th), hits allowed per nine innings (7.53, 22nd), WHIP (1.24, 24th), strikeouts per nine innings (10.5, 28th) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.86, 32nd).
Third-year lefty Shawn Rapp has given up seven runs (four earned) while striking out 32 in 20 innings over 20 appearances, the most in the country. Over the last two seasons, he’s registered a 2.94 ERA as a reliever (16 earned runs in 49 innings over 40 appearances).
After pitching two innings over four appearances last season, fourth-year righty Kyle Mott is tied for 16th nationally with 15 appearances. He has registered a 3.18 ERA while striking out 41 over 28 1/3 innings. He ranks 36th nationally in strikeouts per nine innings (13.02), and his five wins are also tied for the 12th most in the country.
Over his last eight appearances, fourth-year righty Nik Pry has allowed one run while striking out 16 and walking two. All six hits he’s given up in that span have been singles.
Fifth-year senior Caden O’Brien’s 100 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.
D1Baseball recently included O’Brien (No. 32), fourth-year righty Davis Palermo (No. 45) and Rapp (No. 61) on its list of the nation’s top 75 relievers. UNC’s three selections were the most by any team in the country.