Game Day: UNC vs. UNCW
Brandon Schaeffer will look to help the Tar Heels rebound from a tough weekend
Looking to bounce back after being swept for the first time this season at Miami last weekend, North Carolina returns to Boshamer Stadium on Tuesday to face UNCW.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the 7 p.m. tilt.
Matchup: UNC (18-6) vs. UNCW (13-10)
UNC ranks: No. 15/18/18 (Baseball America, D1Baseball, USA Today Coaches Poll)
UNCW ranks: No. -/-/- (Baseball America, D1Baseball, USA Today Coaches Poll)
TV: ACC Network
Listen: TuneIn
Live Stats: Click here
Pitching matchup
LHP Brandon Schaeffer (2-1, 4.18 ERA) vs. RHP Zane Taylor (1-0, 4.63 ERA)
Coming off his shortest start of the season on Friday, in which he allowed three runs on six hits while striking out one and walking two in 2 1/3 innings, Brandon Schaeffer will be looking to get right against the Seahawks. Head coach Scott Forbes suggested Sunday that the WVU Potomac State transfer, known more for his command than his velocity, has been focusing more on the latter than the former over his last few starts, so it will be interesting to see if he can hit his spots more consistently. Having thrown 43 and 55 pitches in his last two outings, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the lefty throw about the same number of pitches Tuesday and then start Sunday against Virginia Tech.
Taking the mound for UNCW will be freshman Zane Taylor, who will be making his third straight start after opening the season in the bullpen. In his last start on March 22, the right-hander allowed one run on three hits while striking out three and walking zero over 5 2/3 innings against East Carolina.
Scouting the Seahawks
Picked to finish second in the Colonial Athletic Association by the league’s coaches, UNCW entered the season with an offense that was expected to be the CAA’s best. So far, the Seahawks have shown flashes of their potential at the plate, notching a .441 slugging percentage along with 23 total sacrifice flies and bunts. But they entered Monday ranked fifth or worse in the nine-team conference in multiple categories, including scoring (6.1 runs per game, 147th nationally), walks (84, 194th), batting average (.259, 194th) and on-base percentage (.346, 225th).
CAA Preseason Co-Player of the Year Brooks Baldwin has been the least of UNCW’s problems, slashing .361/.402/.639 with five home runs, 19 RBIs and 10 stolen bases on as many attempts. Outfielder Dillon Lifrieri (.315/.382/.652 with six homers and 20 RBIs) and 2021 first-team All-CAA catcher Matt Suggs (.257/.378/.486 with four homers and 18 RBIs) have also gotten off to strong starts.
On the mound, the Seahawks lost their top three innings leaders from last season as well as promising sophomore Ryan Calvert to injury, and although they’ve registered a solid 4.57 ERA, their inexperience has been apparent in the number of free passes that they’ve given up. The staff ranks 197th nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.70), 225th in hit batters (20) and 227th in walks allowed per nine innings (5.16).
Numbers to know
UNC leads the all-time series with UNCW, 62-16, highlighted by a 37-8 record in Chapel Hill.
Entering Monday, the Tar Heels ranked in the top 50 nationally in hit-by-pitches (37, 33rd), hits (233, 48th), stolen bases (36, 48th) and home runs (29, 49th).
Fifth-year outfielder Angel Zarate has registered a hit in all 24 games this season, extending his on-base streak to 47 games, dating back to April 4, 2021. In that span, he’s slashing .389/.477/.556 with 14 doubles, two triples, four homers and 28 walks compared to just 17 strikeouts.
Having also recorded a 39-game on-base streak between the 2019 and 2021 seasons, Zarate has reached base in 90 of his last 92 games.
Zarate’s nine doubles are tied for the 68th 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 159 games during his Tar Heel career, making 158 starts. No other UNC player has played in more than 117 games or made more than 91 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 .352/.472/.648 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 16 times in 108 plate appearances (14.8%) this season. His 13 walks are also three more than he had all last season.
Sophomore catcher Tomas Frick leads UNC with 19 RBIs through 24 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 17 walks are two more than 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 Monday, freshman outfielder Vance Honeycutt’s eight homers were tied for the 37th most nationally and tied for the second most by any freshman – N.C. State’s Tommy White has hit 12, while Rhode Island’s Anthony DePino and Mississippi State’s Hunter Hines have hit eight.
Entering Monday, Honeycutt’s 17 stolen bases were tied for the ninth most in the nation 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.
Entering Monday, the Tar Heels’ pitching staff ranked in the top 40 nationally in ERA (2.50, third), WHIP (1.17, 11th), hits allowed per nine innings (7.24, 14th), shutouts (three, 14th), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.10, 23rd), walks allowed per nine innings (3.33, 34th) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.3, 36th).
Third-year lefty Shawn Rapp has given up six runs (three earned) while striking out 28 in 17 1/3 innings over 18 appearances, tied for the most in the country. Over the last two seasons, he’s registered a 2.91 ERA as a reliever (15 earned runs in 46 1/3 innings over 38 appearances).
After pitching two innings over four appearances last season, fourth-year righty Kyle Mott is tied for 15th nationally with 13 appearances. He has registered a 3.04 ERA while striking out 33 over 23 2/3 innings. His five wins are also tied for the third most nationally.
Fifth-year senior Caden O’Brien’s 99 career appearances (six starts) are tied for the fourth 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.