North Carolina Tar Heels baseball team on the way to NCAA Super Regional after win over VCU

UNC ADVANCES TO THE SUPER REGIONAL WITH WIN OVER VCU
from www.goheels.com

CHAPEL HILL – A four-run first inning, highlighted by a three-run homer from Mikey Madej, propelled North Carolina to a 7-3 victory over VCU in the championship game of the Chapel Hill Regional on Monday at Boshamer Stadium.

With the win, the Tar Heels (42-20) advance to their 10th Super Regional in program history and third in the last four seasons. Carolina will face Arkansas in the Super Regional this weekend. The regional schedule will be announced on Tuesday.

Madej, who was voted the regional’s Most Valuable Player, was one of five Tar Heels with two hits in the game as UNC racked up 13 hits total. Danny Serretti drove in two runs with a two-run homer in the fourth, while Alberto Osuna had a pair of RBI singles.

Tomas Frick and Vance Honeycutt were named to the all-tournament team along with Madej.

Left-handed pitcher Brandon Schaeffer, who started on one day’s rest, allowed three runs and struck out five in 3.2 innings, but left with a 7-3 lead.

Fifth-year senior Gage Gillian (3-3) entered with a runner on third in the bottom of the fourth inning and induced a fly out. He allowed just one hit and struck out four over four innings before Davis Palermo closed it out by retiring the side in order in the ninth.

VCU starter Tyler Davis (5-3) pitched just one inning, surrendering four runs on five hits. The Rams finished the season 42-20.

NOTABLES
• UNC won its ninth Chapel Hill/Cary Regional in its 11th time as regional host.
• Carolina improved to 33-6 all-time at the Chapel Hill/Cary Regional in Super Regional era.
• The Tar Heels improved to 23-7 all-time against VCU.
• UNC hit two home runs to bring their season total to 100 second-most in school history becoming the second team in program history to reach the century mark. The team record for home runs is 108, set by 2002 squad.
Angel Zarate(Rockingham County High School) got one hit to bring his single season total to 99. He is one hit away from becoming the 11th player in program history to collect 100 hits in a season.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Alberto Osuna singled to right-center to knock in Mac Horvath from third base in the top of the first and Mikey Madej smashed a three-run home run on the next pitch (UNC 4, VCU 0).
• Ben Nippolt scored VCU’s first run in the bottom of the first inning on a ground out by AJ Mathis (UNC 4, VCU 1).
• Osuna singled up the middle up to drive home Honeycutt, who drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on failed pick off attempt (UNC 5, VCU 1).
• Serretti hits a two-run home run to right field in the top of the fourth (UNC 7, VCU 1).
• VCU scored twice in the fifth inning, first on an RBI single from Jacob Selden and then on a ground out by Marcus O’Malley (UNC 7, VCU 3).