CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – With its bats kept in check through most of the night on Friday, the Virginia Tech baseball team was held to a skinny run during its series opener at No. 15 North Carolina as the Hokies were defeated, 8-1, at Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium.
Junior third baseman Carson DeMartini broke up the Tar Heels' shutout during the top of the ninth inning with a historic swing – his 18th home run of the season and the 43rd of this three-year collegiate career. In rounding the bases, DeMartini set the Hokies' ACC-era career home runs record, surpassing Andrew Rash, who hit 42 home runs between 2010 and 2013.
Virginia Tech (26-13, 12-10 ACC) was limited to four hits by freshman right-hander Jason DeCaro, who dealt seven scoreless innings for North Carolina (31-10, 16-6 ACC). DeCaro retired 11 consecutive batters to begin the ballgame before allowing a two-out single to Chris Cannizzaro during the fourth inning, finishing with eight strikeouts through 105 pitches.
Anthony Donofrio greeted Tech starter Jeremy Neff with a leadoff triple during the bottom of the first inning, which came at the expense of an awkward slide by Cannizzaro in left field. Vance Honeycutt brought in Donofrio with a foul fly down the right field line, putting the hosts in front for the first time.
Neff fell behind further during the bottom of the third inning when he surrendered a three-run home run to Parks Harber that extended the Tar Heels' lead to 4-0. UNC tacked on two more runs during the bottom of the fourth inning that were both charged to Neff, one coming on Alex Madera's RBI triple to left field.
Right-hand reliever Grant Manning carried the Hokies to the finish line, tossing Tech's final five defensive innings. Manning set a season high with eight strikeouts, allowing two runs (one earned) while scattering five hits.
Virginia Tech committed a season high in errors (four), including two during the fifth inning that resulted in an unearned run. Manning limited the damage in the aftermath of UNC loading the bases, striking out Colby Wilkerson and Donofrio back-to-back to keep the game at 7-0.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will play to even the series at No. 15 North Carolina on Saturday, April 27. First pitch between the Hokies and the Tar Heels at Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium is scheduled for 2 p.m.