Carolina Takes Win Over Winthrop

Chapel Hill --- Aaron Sabato and Jackson Hesterlee both drove in four runs as No. 12 North Carolina knocked off Winthrop, 13-9, Tuesday night at Boshamer Stadium.

Connor Ollio pitched four innings and tied his career-high with five strikeouts for the Tar Heels, while Austin Love picked up his sixth win of the season in relief.

Winthrop got on the board in the top of the first with a small two-out rally. After Spencer Yankle singled, Hunter Lipscomb roped a double to the gap to give the Eagles an early 1-0 advantage.

Carolina responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning when Aaron Sabato crushed a long fly ball to centerfield that just kept carrying, clearing the fence and giving the Tar Heels a 3-1 lead.

Jackson Hesterlee extended the team's lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the second with a home run of his own. He hit his sixth of the year to right field to end Winthrop starter Braxton Foley's day.

Winthrop tied the game against Tar Heel starter Connor Ollio and Josh Dotson in the fifth with four runs in the top of the inning.

Ashton McGee got the Carolina lead back in a big way with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the third. With two outs, he hit a three-run home run to right field, a no-doubter that gave the Tar Heels an 8-5 lead.

Winthrop got the game within a run in the top of the seventh. The Eagles drove in two runs off of the Tar Heel bullpen on an error and a sacrifice fly, making it 8-7.

Hesterlee got the pair of runs back with an RBI double, his third and fourth of the game to help the Tar Heels cushion the lead for Joey Lancellotti.

Winthrop loaded the bases in the top of the ninth and got the tying run to the plate, but Joey Lancellotti worked out of the jam and wrapped up the 13-9 win for the Tar Heels.

Aaron Sabato's 10th home run of the year marked the first time since 2015 that the Tar Heels have had a pair of batters hit 10+ home runs in a season. Michael Busch has 12 on the year (Skye Bolt and Tyler Ramirez, 2015).

The last duo to have more combined home runs were Colin Moran and Brian Holberton. They combined to have 25 (Moran 13, Holberton 12) in 2013.

With three home runs on Tuesday night, UNC has 57 home runs on the season, eclipsing last year's total of 56.

UNC has hit 50+ home runs in the last three consecutive seasons. It is the first time since 2006-2008 that the Tar Heels have done so.

This is UNC's 15th game with at least two home runs on the season.

Aaron Sabato is the first freshman to hit 10+ home runs since Levi Michael did so in 2009 (13).

Connor Ollio tied his career-high in strikeouts with five against the Eagles.

The Tar Heels now have 13 games with more than two errors and 11 games without an error.

Michael Busch has now reached base in 20 consecutive games. He is one game away from his career record.

Joey Lancellotti hasn't given up an earned run over his last four outings (12 innings).

Lancellotti has now pitched ten straight outings of two innings or more.

Win: Austin Love (6-4)

Loss: Macklin Ohs (0-2)

The Tar Heels will be back in action at Boshamer Stadium Wednesday when UNC hosts East Carolina for an in-state rivalry clash at 6 p.m.