Atlanta, Ga. – No. 9 North Carolina rallied from a seven-run deficit to tie the game against Georgia Tech on Saturday afternoon, but the Tar Heels fell just short as the Yellow Jackets won 11-10. The Heels scored eight runs in the final three innings to tie the game at 10 in the top of the ninth inning, but Georgia Tech's sacrifice fly with one out in the bottom of the frame dashed the Tar Heel comeback hopes.
Freshman Danny Serretti put on an offensive clinic going 5-for-5 with four RBI and three doubles to lead the way offensively for the Heels. Caleb Roberts and Brandon Martorano also had multi-hit games while Martorano was the only other Tar Heel with multiple RBI besides Serretti.
KEY MOMENTS
Georgia Tech struck first in the second game of the series by scoring three runs in the bottom of the second inning to take an early 3-0 lead.
North Carolina responded immediately with two runs of its own in the top of the third. After a leadoff single from Ashton McGee, Danny Serretti's RBI double to left field gave the Heels their first run. Dylan Enwiller followed with a RBI single to make cut the Georgia Tech lead to 3-2.
Georgia Tech answered with three runs again in the bottom of the third to take a 6-2 lead.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Tar Heels loaded the bases with one out but they couldn't bring home a run to cut in to the Yellow Jackets 8-2 lead.
Trailing 9-4 in the eighth inning, Danny Serretti lined a two-RBI double down the third base line for his fourth hit of the game. That cut the Yellow Jacket lead to 9-6 as the Heels scored four unanswered runs in the seventh and eighth inning.
Trailing 10-7 in the top of the ninth inning, Brandon Martorano doubled down the left field line to score runners from second and third and pull the Heels within one run, making it 10-9.
Serretti's third double of the game, and fifth overall hit, in the ninth inning scored the game-tying run as the Heels completed the comeback to make it 10-10.
NOTABLES
With a walk in the first inning, Ike Freeman extended his reached base streak to a career best, and team best, 22 consecutive games. The 22 consecutive games ties the mark that Ashton McGee set in 2017 and Dylan Harris set earlier in 2019 for the longest streak on the current roster.
Austin Bergner's 2.1 innings pitched are a season low with his previous low coming in his first outing against Xavier when he threw 4.1 innings. The six runs, all earned, are the most he has given up all season with his previous high being four runs, both against Miami and Virginia Tech.
Danny Serretti collected his sixth multi-hit game of the season, which is good for fourth on the team.
Serretti's picked up his second five-hit game of the season. He is the only Tar Heel on the roster to have five hits in one game with his other outing coming on March 12 against Gardner-Webb.
On March 12, he became the first freshman to have five hits in a game since 2014.
Serretti picked up his first four-RBI game of the season. He now has five multi-RBI games on the season, tying him with Michael Busch and Aaron Sabato for second best on the team.
Aaron Sabato's single in the sixth inning extended his hitting streak to six games, a new career best for the freshman.
Eight of the nine position players for the Heels collected a hit on Saturday afternoon. Only Michael Busch didn't record a hit, but he had a RBI sacrifice fly and a walk in the game.
The 10 runs are the most the Heels have scored in a loss this season.
PITCHER RECORDS
Win: Georgia Tech, Jonathan Hughes (4-2)
Loss: North Carolina, Austin Love (5-2)
UP NEXT
North Carolina will be back in action on Sunday, April 7 at 1 p.m. as they face off against Georgia Tech in game three of the three game series.