BASEBALL FINISHES OFF SWEEP OF STONY BROOK.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Jackson Van De Brake hit two home runs in a game for the second time this week and drove in five runs as No. 13 North Carolina completed its three-game sweep of Stony Brook with a 15-4 win at Boshamer Stadium on Sunday.
Tomas Frick collected a career-best four hits for the Tar Heels, which won their fifth straight game. Vance Honeycutt, Mac Horvath and Van De Brake each collected two hits as the foursome combined to go 10-for-19 with 10 runs and 10 RBIs.
“Those guys are so dangerous, especially [Honeycutt and Horvath]” UNC head coach Scott Forbes said. “Van De Brake is starting to show what we thought he could be.”
Van De Brake, who homered twice against VCU on Wednesday, hit a three-run blast in the seventh to put UNC (9-3) ahead 9-4 after Stony Brook (0-9) scored two runs in the top half of the inning to make it a two-run game.
He also smashed a two-run home run as part of the Tar Heels’ five-run second inning. With runners at first and third and two outs in the second, Colby Wilkerson stole second and Patrick Alvarez raced home as part of a double steal. Wilkerson momentarily got caught in a pickle but was able to avoid the tag and slid safely into second base.
“That was a play we put on, hoping they would throw the ball to second base so that we could score one run,” Forbes explained. “Colby found a way to be safe and Vance made them pay for it.”
Alvarez became the first Tar Heel to steal home since Horvath on March 22, 2022 against Appalachian State.
Honeycutt crushed Eddie Smink’s next pitch 417-feet, snapping a 0-for-13 streak at the plate, to extend the inning. Horvath followed with a walk to bring Van De Brake to plate.
North Carolina added six runs in the eighth highlighted by a three-run, pinch-hit double from Austin Hawke.
UNC right-hander Jake Knapp (2-0) allowed two runs on four hits in five innings to earn his second win. He walked one and struck out three, while making his first weekend start.
Smink (0-3) took the loss for the Seawolves, surrendering five runs on four hits in 1.2 innings with four walks and three strikoeuts.
North Carolina returns to the diamond Tuesday against Southern Conference foe Western Carolina. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Boshamer Stadium.
