BY UNC ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – No. 18 North Carolina heads north to take on ACC Coastal Division foe Pittsburgh in a three-game series this weekend. Both teams went 1-2 during the opening weekend of conference play with the Tar Heels losing two of the three at home to Virginia as did the Panthers on the road at Florida State.
Game one of the series will take place on Friday, March 17 at 3 p.m. with game two taking place Saturday, March 18 at 2 p.m. and the finale on Sunday, March 19 at 1 p.m. All three games can be seen on ACC Network Extra.
The Tar Heels enter the series on a three-game winning streak, while the Panthers are coming off a win over Florida State on Sunday.
THE SERIES
UNC is 15-11 against Pittsburgh since the Panthers joined the ACC in 2014 … The Tar Heels swept Pitt in Chapel Hill last season after losing three of four to the Panthers in 2021 ... Carolina is 10-2 at home against Pittsburgh but is just 5-7 on road.
BOSH BOMBERS
After hitting a total of six home runs during the midweek, UNC moved up to sixth nationally with 39 dingers this season, most in the ACC ... The Diamond Heels are averaging 2.05 home runs per game and are on pace to hit a school record 115 home runs during the regular season after hitting 101 home runs in 64 games a year ago ... The UNC record of 108 was set by the 2002 team.
DOUBLING DOWN
Junior catcher Tomas Frick leads all NCAA Division I players with 13 doubles this season ... Frick has doubled in each of the last four games entering the series opener against Pittsburgh Friday ... He has multiple doubles in four games with a career-high three in the series finale against Stony Brook (3/5) ... Frick ranks fourth in the ACC in total hits (30) and RBIs (25).
HEATING UP
Alberto Osuna missed the first three games of the season after having surgery on his hamate bone in late January and went 3-for-24 (.125) at the plate in his first seven games back ... In his last nine games, Osuna is 13-of-30 (.433) with an OPS of 1.386 ... Osuna has reached base safely in 13 consecutive games and has homered in each of the last two games.
DOUBLE DIGIT RUNS
The Tar Heels have scored 16 runs in each of the last two games, marking the first time they've scored 16 runs in consecutive games since doing in four consecutive games in 2017 (3 vs. Boston College, vs. South Carolina) ... UNC has scored more than 14 runs in a game six times and 10 or more in total of nine games ... The Heels had four double-digit run games through their first 19 games a year ago and didn't post their ninth game of 10 runs or more until the 46th game of the season.
BULLPEN DOING ITS JOB
In 24.0 innings pitched over the last five games, the UNC bullpen has a 2.25 ERA and has held opposing hitters to a .205 batting average with 32 strikeouts against 11 walks.
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – No. 18 North Carolina heads north to take on ACC Coastal Division foe Pittsburgh in a three-game series this weekend. Both teams went 1-2 during the opening weekend of conference play with the Tar Heels losing two of the three at home to Virginia as did the Panthers on the road at Florida State.
Game one of the series will take place on Friday, March 17 at 3 p.m. with game two taking place Saturday, March 18 at 2 p.m. and the finale on Sunday, March 19 at 1 p.m. All three games can be seen on ACC Network Extra.
The Tar Heels enter the series on a three-game winning streak, while the Panthers are coming off a win over Florida State on Sunday.
| Pitching Matchups | Friday | 3 p.m. (ACCNX) | Saturday | 3 p.m. (ACCNX) | Sunday | 1 p.m. (ACCNX) |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | RHP Max Carlson | RHP Connor Bovair | RHP Jake Knapp |
| Pittsburgh | RHP Jack Sokol | RHP Kyle Mosley | RHP Erubiel Candelario |
| Links | WATCH | LISTEN | STATS | WATCH | LISTEN | STATS | WATCH | LISTEN | STATS |
THE SERIES
UNC is 15-11 against Pittsburgh since the Panthers joined the ACC in 2014 … The Tar Heels swept Pitt in Chapel Hill last season after losing three of four to the Panthers in 2021 ... Carolina is 10-2 at home against Pittsburgh but is just 5-7 on road.
BOSH BOMBERS
After hitting a total of six home runs during the midweek, UNC moved up to sixth nationally with 39 dingers this season, most in the ACC ... The Diamond Heels are averaging 2.05 home runs per game and are on pace to hit a school record 115 home runs during the regular season after hitting 101 home runs in 64 games a year ago ... The UNC record of 108 was set by the 2002 team.
DOUBLING DOWN
Junior catcher Tomas Frick leads all NCAA Division I players with 13 doubles this season ... Frick has doubled in each of the last four games entering the series opener against Pittsburgh Friday ... He has multiple doubles in four games with a career-high three in the series finale against Stony Brook (3/5) ... Frick ranks fourth in the ACC in total hits (30) and RBIs (25).
HEATING UP
Alberto Osuna missed the first three games of the season after having surgery on his hamate bone in late January and went 3-for-24 (.125) at the plate in his first seven games back ... In his last nine games, Osuna is 13-of-30 (.433) with an OPS of 1.386 ... Osuna has reached base safely in 13 consecutive games and has homered in each of the last two games.
DOUBLE DIGIT RUNS
The Tar Heels have scored 16 runs in each of the last two games, marking the first time they've scored 16 runs in consecutive games since doing in four consecutive games in 2017 (3 vs. Boston College, vs. South Carolina) ... UNC has scored more than 14 runs in a game six times and 10 or more in total of nine games ... The Heels had four double-digit run games through their first 19 games a year ago and didn't post their ninth game of 10 runs or more until the 46th game of the season.
BULLPEN DOING ITS JOB
In 24.0 innings pitched over the last five games, the UNC bullpen has a 2.25 ERA and has held opposing hitters to a .205 batting average with 32 strikeouts against 11 walks.
