CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Despite barreling two early home runs to stake the 3-0 lead on Sunday, the Virginia Tech baseball team succumbed to a few crooked numbers by No. 18 North Carolina as the Hokies suffered their first loss of the weekend, 10-6, at Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium.
After Virginia Tech (17-7, 5-5 ACC) had stranded two runners in scoring position with one out during the first inning, the Hokies managed to crack through during the second inning. Tech rookies Carson DeMartini and Christian Martin each pulled home runs from the bottom third of the Hokies' lineup – the second of which marked Martin's first of his career.
North Carolina (20-8, 6-6 ACC) responded immediately, loading the bases against Ryan Okuda with help from Mac Horvath's bunted single. Eric Grintz delivered the sacrifice fly that put UNC on the scoreboard while the Tar Heels earned two more free passes against Okuda and Kiernan Higgins to reduce Tech's lead to 3-2.
Jack Hurley proudly increased his hitting streak to 23 consecutive games upon doubling for the Hokies' first hit of the third inning. Hurley – who is now one game away from tying the program's ACC-era record for hitting streak (Steve Domecus, 2009) – scored during the ensuing at-bat as Eduardo Malinowski's RBI single upped Tech's lead to 4-2.
DeMartini's infield error to begin the bottom of the third inning opened the door for UNC to flip the score with four unearned runs. Grintz knocked the game-tying, two-RBI double with two outs shortly before Vance Honeycutt plated another two runs for the Tar Heels with his two-bagger down the left field line.
Tech spurred a two-out rally of its own during the fifth inning, sandwiching three walks around hit batsman Cade Hunter. However, the Hokies left the bases loaded before Grintz answered for UNC during the bottom of the inning, carrying Ryan Kennedy's 1-2 delivery to left field to stamp the Tar Heels' 7-5 lead.
North Carolina rallied for three runs during the bottom of the sixth inning to double up the Hokies, 10-5. Gavin Cross brought Tech a run closer during the eighth inning courtesy of his third homer of the series, but the Hokies were unable to introduce the tying run across their final seven plate appearances.
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Virginia Tech will return home to host Marshall on Tuesday, April 5. First pitch at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park is scheduled for 6 p.m.Gallery: (4-3-2022) BSB: UNC GAME 3