Published Feb 17, 2019
Diamond Heels Sweep Xavier To Open Season
UNC Athletic Communications
UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL – No. 5 North Carolina completed its sweep of Xavier with a 14-3 win on a rainy Sunday afternoon. The Tar Heels scored 34 runs over the three-game series, the most in an opening weekend three-game series since the 2006 team scored 38.

Hansen Butler picked up his first win of the season after coming on for Austin Bergner who went 4.1 innings pitched giving up five hits, two earned runs with six strikeouts. Dylan Harris, Caleb Roberts and Brandon Martorano all had multi-RBI games to pace the Tar Heel offense.

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KEY MOMENTS

Dylan Harris started the game with a solo home run to right field, his first of the season and his first in a Carolina uniform.

In the top of the second inning, Brandon Martorano picked off a Xavier runner at third base to end the inning after they tied the game, 1-1.

With the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the second inning, Xavier limited the Heels to only two runs as the Heels took a 3-1 lead.

Brandon Martorano hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning to give the Heels a 5-1 lead.

After Xavier had cut the lead to 5-3 in the fifth inning, Hansen Butler came on in relief to get an inning-ending double play.

With the bases loaded in the top of the 6th inning, Connor Ollio came on in relief of Butler to strikeout the Xavier batter on an off-speed pitch with a 3-2 count.

Carolina tacked on five runs in the sixth inning without registering a hit. Xavier walked five batters and hit three more as the Heels took the 11-3 lead.

NOTABLES

Harris's home run was first home run to lead off a game for the Tar Heels since Cody Roberts did so against Florida State on March 25, 2018.

Xavier used eight pitchers and issued 16 walks throughout the game as the Heels only registered seven hits to record 14 runs.

With its 8th run today, UNC has now scored at least 8 runs in each of its first three games this season. No other Tar Heel team has done that since the 2006 squad.

34 runs are the most runs scored in an opening weekend three-game series since the 2006 team scored 38.

In the sixth inning, UNC scored all five runs of the inning without registering a hit. Xavier walked five batters and hit three others.

Carolina extended its nation's longest home winning streak to 21 games.

UP NEXT

The No. 5 Tar Heels will be back in action against NC A&T on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. at Boshamer Stadium.