By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — Patrick Alvarez is one of three Carolina outfielders who have caught ESPN’s attention for “SportsCenter” Top 10 plays with home-run stealing defensive gems.
That’s a bonus for the redshirt junior having the best offensive season of his career.
He continued that Tuesday with two hits, a home run and a career-high four RBI in No. 13 UNC’s 10–6 win over Queens. The Tar Heels (23–10) put plenty of numbers on the new Boshamer Stadium videoboard in its debut (read more about that here), but their bullpen coughed up six runs to make it what Coach Scott Forbes said might be considered an “ugly win.”
A career .180 before this season, Alvarez’s .355 average — although in only 62 at-bats — leads the team, and he’s already matched the two home runs he had in the first two seasons. His best previous RBI efforts were a trio of three-RBI games, the last coming in the 2022 season opener against Seton Hall. It was his fourth two-hit game of the season.
“I’m really just making adjustments quicker,” said Alvarez (top photo), who had a huge go-ahead pinch-hit RBI single in the Super Regionals against Arkansas, which he said gave him confidence entering the offseason. “Of course, stuff like that makes you better. I’ve just been working a lot.”
The 5–7 Alvarez joined outfielders Casey Cook and Vance Honeycutt in making the Top 10 plays segment. Honeycutt has two, one that was No. 3 and one that was No. 7. Alvarez’s came on a fantastic leaping grab playing left field at Notre Dame. He put a glove on the ball to keep it from going over the wall, then retrieved it to make it out.
“The wind was just howling up there at Notre Dame, so I was just lucky enough to get a bit of a glove on it,” Alvarez said of the play. “I wish I could have come down with it clean, but I was able to save it from going over, and luckily it bounced right in my hand.”
Alvarez’s play, which was No. 4, was much like Cook’s that went for No. 1.
“It’s almost the same play, except I caught mine was bare-handed,” said Cook, who jokes with Avarez that his was better because it earned a higher number. “It was a great play. It’s just funny that it’s happened twice in a year because I’ve never seen it before in my life.
“You can’t really practice that kind of play. So, I think it’s just a testament to having athleticism in the outfield, and that’s something we have. It’s been awesome to see,” said Cook, who went 2-for-5 with an RBI in his fourth game in the leadoff spot and has reached base in 22 consecutive games.
Alvarez has taken advantage of his chances on days, like Tuesday, when Johnny Castagnozzi isn’t at third base and Mac Horvath isn’t in right field or Cook has a day off. Castagnozzi was unavailable Tuesday because of COVID-19 protocols.
“He’s just a leader,” said Forbes, who says Alvarez is a hard worker. “Hard to pitch to, small strike zone, gotten stronger, can play multiple positions.”
Forbes compared him to Mikey Madej in his versatility.
“He is such a team guy,” Forbes said. “Even when he’s not playing, he’s the first one out of dugout. First one giving the guy five. That’s important — culture and caring about your teammates. If you’re not in the game, still being in the game. Guys like that at North Carolina get rewarded. He worked to become a better hitter.”
Alvarez isn’t worried about his role from game to game.
“I come to the ballpark every day just knowing that I’m probably going to get in at some point, whether that’ll be getting a bunt down in the eighth inning or a pinch hit opportunity or a might be starting a game,” he said. “I go to the ballpark every day with the mindset that I’m going to play today. I’m going to try to help the team win.”
Carolina sent 11 batters to the plate in the first inning. Six got hits, and seven scored to quickly build a big lead, with junior catcher Tomas Frick and junior first baseman Hunter Stokely belting back-to-back two-run doubles.
Alvarez, who had an RBI single in the first, made it 10–3 with a no-doubt three-run homer to left field in the third inning.
It was a bullpen day for Carolina, with the first three of 11 pitchers shutting out the Royals. Starter Dalton Pence struck out two in one shutout inning. Cameron Padgett (winner, 2–0) relieved him and struck out three and gave up two hits in two shutout innings, then Kyle Percival struck out two in 1⅔ hitless innings.
“Cam has been throwing better and better,” Forbes said of Padgett. “His velocity is starting to go up. Keep your eye on Padgett. He’s a freshman that keeps coming. He throws a ton of strikes, and when you have a guy with that good command, you feel good about what you’re seeing.”
After Queens pulled within four with a pair of ninth-inning runs, graduate right-hander Kevin Eaise came in with two outs. He got a strikeout for the final out after falling behind 3–0 to pick up the save.
“I told them, I said, ‘you jump out 10-nothing like that, and you start coasting and next thing you know the tying run is at the plate,’ ” Forbes said. “That’s a credit to Kevin Eaise, always being ready. Goes 3-0, strike, strike, strike — game over. There’s no such thing as an ugly win. But if there is such thing as one, that would be one of them.”
Queens, in its first year of a four-year transition to Division I and No. 260 in the RPI, fell to 6–25 with its fourth consecutive defeat. The Royals got a two-run homer from Connor Manco in the sixth inning after Horvath dropped a foul pop-up and a solo shot from JJ Sousa in the seventh.
NOTES — UNC is host to a huge ACC Coastal Division series this weekend with Miami (20–12, 8–7) at 7 p.m. Thursday (ACC Network), 7 p.m. Friday (ESPN2) and noon Saturday (ESPN3). After sweeping Florida State the previous weekend, Virginia swept the Canes last weekend to drop them out of the D1 Baseball poll. Miami swept UNC at Coral Gables, Fla., last season. … Should the Friday game get rained out, there wouldn’t be a Saturday doubleheader because of Miami’s travel schedule and it would become a two-game series. ACC rules don’t allow a series to extend to a fourth day. … Cook hasn’t gone back-to-back games without a hit all season. … UNC is 10–2 in midweek games this season, including 9–1 in Chapel Hill and 10 in a row against unranked teams. … It was UNC’s first home game since March 28. After seven consecutive road games, the Tar Heels are on a nine-game homestand.
No. 13 UNC 10, Queens 6
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics Communications
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