By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — Jason DeCaro’s reputation as a big-time Friday starter is only improving.
The 6–5 sophomore right-hander was efficient in a career-high 7⅔ innings as No. 5 North Carolina extended its unbeaten streak to 10 with season-highs of 16 runs and 17 hits in a 16–2 thumping of Stony Brook at Boshamer Stadium on Friday.
UNC coach Scott Forbes said that DeCaro is a stronger, more complete pitcher with off-speed stuff and four pitches that he can throw in any count.
“His velocity is ticking up earlier than it was last year,” Forbes said. “He’s holding his velocity. He makes big pitches when he needs to make big pitches. Just overall, the whole maturation process; he’s much more mature.
DeCaro (3–0), pitching on five days rest, got more efficient as he went along, tossing only 20 combined pitches in the fourth through sixth innings, including five in the sixth, coming out with a season-high 93 pitches. In the seventh time in 21 career starts with at least 90 pitches, he gave up four hits, no walks and one run while striking out three.
“The word is starting to get out about his command, so teams are going to be more aggressive, which he can use to his advantage,” Forbes said. “Generally, Jason’s pitch count is up about the fifth inning. He’s usually creeping into 80 to 85 pitches. And he is throwing more strikes this season, too, which is a great sign with all of his pitches. All of his pitches are around the zone.”
The Seawolves (3–4) ended DeCaro’s shutout streak at 17⅔ innings when Matthew Jackson doubled and scored on a one-out ground ball in the seventh inning after another baserunner was thrown out at the plate.
“I think it’s more of a mindset for me,” DeCaro said of his command. “Offense is doing great right there. I just told myself, ‘I’m gonna go after all these guys and make them beat me, try to get the offense back in there as quick as possible.’ “
Graduate Princeton left-hander Tom Chmielewski came on to get the last out of the eighth and sophomore right-hander Boston Flannery pitched the ninth inning, giving up two hits and one run.
Junior center fielder Kane Kepley (3 for 4, double, 3 steals) and sophomore third baseman Gavin Gallaher (3 for 5, double, 3 RBI, 1 steal) led the big offensive day.
Kepley got UNC going with a leadoff single in the first inning, stole second and scored on Gallaher’s one-out single to center field.
With freshman left fielder Perry Hargett’s one-out solo home run in the second inning, he became the first Tar Heel to hit homers in consecutive at-bats since Vance Honeycutt against West Virginia in consecutive NCAA tournament games last June. After collecting three hits, including a home run in his last at-bat in Wednesday’s 13–4 victory over N.C. A&T, Hargett got his first start Friday and went 1 for 3.
“First at-bat, just dropping a bomb up there in the net? A dynamic player, [has] speed, should have a high on base percentage,” Forbes said of Hargett. “Overran that one ball and left field, but he brings us more speed in that lineup, hard to strike out, just that quality at-bat, and that distributes speed throughout the order, which puts pressure on the defense.”
Back-to-back doubles by Kepley and sophomore catcher Luke Stevenson later in the second pushed across UNC’s third run. Hargett drew a leadoff walk in the fourth, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored on graduate second baseman Jackson Van De Brake’s groundout.
UNC added five runs in the fifth, highlighted by Gallaher’s two-run double to right-center and senior shortstop Alex Madera’s RBI triple to right.
The Tar Heels scored seven runs in the eighth inning, getting RBI pinch-hits from freshman Sawyer Black (single), redshirt junior Reece Holbrook (a two-run triple) and freshman Parker McCoy (double) to highlight the seven-hit inning (which topped Stony Brook’s six hits for the game).
“It was great to see some guys get in there in their first at-bats as Tar Heels, and that’s always exciting,” Forbes said. “It was exciting in the locker room to see a senior like Reese step up there and almost hit a home run. “
NOTES — Game 2 of the series is at 2 p.m. Saturday (no TV), with UNC senior right-hander Jake Knapp (0–0, 4.50 ERA) opposing redshirt junior right-hander Nicholas Rizzo (1–0, 4.50 ERA) starting. Carolina senior right-hander Aidan Haugh (1–0, 3.38) opposes Hunter Colagrande (0–0, 4.50 ERA) in Sunday’s series finale (ACC Network Extra). … Forbes said he decided before the game against playing with the 10-run rule. … It was the most runs UNC has scored since a 16–7 home victory last season on May 12 against Louisville, and the biggest margin of victory since a 19–2 home win last season over William & Mary on May 1. … UNC has won 13 meetings with Stony Brook, with each game in Chapel Hill. … It’s UNC’s best start since the 2013 team won its first 16 games.
No. 5 UNC 16, Stony Brook 2
UNC scores
| Date(s) | Day/ month | Times | Opponent (current rank) |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | |||
| 13–15 | Fri.-Sat. | 4, noon, 1 | vs. Indiana |
| 17 | Tuesday | 4 p.m. | vs. Richmond |
| 18 | Wednesday | 4 p.m. | vs. Longwood |
| 20–22 | Fri.-Sun. | 4 (Greenville), 2 (DBAP), 2 (CH) | vs. East Carolina |
| 24 | Tuesday | 4 p.m. | vs. N.C. A&T |
| 25 | Wednesday | 4 p.m. | vs. VCU |
| 27–28 | Fri., Sat. | 4 p.m., 2 p.m. | vs. Le Moyne |
| March | |||
| 1 | Sunday | 1 p.m. | vs. Le Moyne |
| 3 | Tuesday | 4 p.m. | vs. Elon |
| 6–8 | Fri.-Sun. | 4, 2, 1 | vs. Virginia |
| 10 | Tuesday | 4 p.m. | vs. Bucknell |
| 13–15 | Fri.-Sun. | 9, 5, 4 | at California |
| 18 | Wednesday | 4 p.m. | vs. UNCG |
| 20–22 | Fri.-Sun. | 8, 2, 1 | vs. No. 8 Louisville |
| 24 | Tuesday | 6:30 | vs. South Carolina in Charlotte |
| 27–29 | Fri.-Sun. | 6:30, 3, 1 | at Notre Dame |
| 31 | Tuesday | 8 p.m. | vs. Campbell |
| April | |||
| 2–4 | Thur.-Sat. | 6, 6, 2 | vs. Boston College |
| 7 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | vs. Charlotte |
| 10–12 | Fri.-Sun. | 6, 2, 12:30 | at No. 19 Clemson |
| 14 | Tuesday | 6 p.m. | vs. UNCW |
| 17–19 | Fri-Sun. | 6, noon, 1 | vs. No. 5 Georgia Tech |
| 21 | Tuesday | 6 p.m. | vs. High Point |
| 23–25 | Fri.-Sun. | 7, 6, 3 | at Duke |
| 28 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | vs. No. 6 Coastal Carolina |
| 29 | Wednesday | 6 p.m. | vs. Queens |
| May | |||
| 3 | Sunday | 2 p.m. (non-conference game) | vs. Duke |
| 6 | Wednesday | 6 p.m. | vs. Winthrop |
| 8–10 | Fri.-Sun. | 6, noon, 1 | vs. Pittsburgh |
| 12 | Tuesday | 6 p.m. | at UNCW |
| 14–16 | Thurs.-Sat. | 7, 6, 1 | at No. 17 N.C. State |
| 19–24 | Tues.-Sun. | ACC tournament | Charlotte |
| 29–31 | Fri.-Sun. | NCAA Regionals | Campus sites |
| June | |||
| 5–7 | Fri.-Sun. | NCAA Super Regionals | Campus sites |
| 12–22 | Fri.-Mon | College World Series | Omaha, Neb. |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
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