UNC Baseball: Summer is over and the Champs are here

Last week, you got some insight into the playoffs across the various collegiate summer baseball leagues that were housing Tar Heels so they could continue their development. The Grandaddy of them all, the Cape Cod League was just starting when the post came out, and as it turns out, there were big things in store for three Diamond Heels playing on the shores of Massachusetts.

The Bourne Braves-summer home to Tomas Frick, Mac Horvath, and Will Sandy-took down the Brewster Whitecaps to win the 2022 Cape Cod League Championship. Frick and Horvath both played in the championship series, with Horvath going 3 for 8 in the series and Frick getting a full game behind the plate as the Braves took their first title since 2009. Sandy pitched one game in the playoffs, August 6th against Falmouth, but only went 2.2 innings, giving up two earned runs. Still, each got to enjoy an extended run on a championship winning team.

It was a full experience for the trio, as earlier, on July 25th, Bourne faced off against Wareham in Polar Park, home of the AAA Worcester Red Sox. Frick and Horvath played, getting another notch of handling wooden bats in a professional park, experience that will no doubt help them as the look to go further into the NCAA tournament this season.

It was another productive summer for the Tar Heels. Between the various leagues, the title won on the Cape, the miles traveled, the showcases, and the experience with USA Baseball, last year’s surprising Super Regional team will bring back their chip to fall ball before another season at the Bosh. So for one last time, let’s look at how everyone did as they settle back onto campus and we get started with the 2022-23 school year.

Cape Cod League

Connor Bovair-Chatham Anglers

5 G, 8 IP, 0-0, 2.25 ERA, 8 K, 3 BB, 8 H

Johnny Castagnozzi-Chatham Anglers

24 G, 55 AB, 9 H, .164 Avg, 1 HR, 1 2B, 8 BB, 2 RBI, 27 K

Tomas Frick-Bourne Braves

21 G, 59 AB, 6 H, .153 Avg, 1 HR, 5 R, 1 3B, 14 K, 8 BB

Mac Horvath-Bourne Braves

25 G, 96 AB, 24 H, .250 Avg, 7 HR, 20 R, 27 K, 9 BB, 17 RBI, 12 SB

Will Sandy-Bourne Braves

8 G, 21 IP, 2-1, 4.71 ERA, 17 K, 9 BB, 21 H

Hunter Stokely-Harwich Mariners

26 G, 84 AB, 15 H, .179 Avg, 2 HR, 5 2B, 17 RBI, 12 BB, 29 K

Coastal Plain League

Patrick Alvarez-Holly Springs Salamanders

20 G, 59 AB, 11 H, .186 Avg, 8 R, 1 2B, 9 RBI, 11 BB, 5 SB, 14 K

Caleb Cozart-HP-Thomasville Hi Toms

6 G, 10.1 IP, 0-1, 11.32 ERA, 10 K, 9 BB, 18 H

Brandon Eike-Tri-City Chili Peppers

1 G, 0 AB, 1 BB, 1 SB, 1 Run Scored

Eric Grintz-HP-Thomasville Hi Toms

25 G, 82 AB, 34 H, .415 Avg, 5 HR, 11 2B, 1 3B, 24 RBI, 18 BB, 6 K, 4 SB

Reece Holbrook-Lexington County Blowfish

8 G, 28 AB, 6 H, .214 Avg, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 11 K, 3 SB

Alberto Osuna-Holly Springs Salamanders

27 G, 94 AB, 21 H, .223 Avg, 6 HR, 3 2B, 19 RBI, 12 BB, 37 K

Dalton Pence-Forest City Owls

8 G, 41 IP, 5-0, 0.87 ERA, 7 Starts, 1 SV, 35K, 9 BB, 25 H

Carson Starnes-Lexington County Blowfish

10 G, 47 IP, 3-1. 3.44 ERA, 7 Starts, 40 K, 15 BB, 43 H

Florida Collegiate Summer League

Alden Segui-Sanford River Rats

1 G, 2 IP, 0-1, 9.00 ERA, 3 K, 1 BB, 4 H, only appearance 6/4

New England Collegiate Baseball League

Joe Jaconski-Mystic Schooners

35 G, 120 AB, 24 H, .200 Avg, 7 RBI, 10 BB, 27 K

Justin Szestowicki-Ocean State Waves

17 G, 48 AB, 5 H, .104 Avg, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 4 BB, 4 SB, 18 K

Northwoods League

Dylan King-La Crosse Loggers

24 G, 71 AB, 16 H, .225 Avg, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 2 2B, 15 BB, 17 K

Colby Wilkerson-Rochester Honkers

14 G, 50 AB, 12 H, .240 Avg, 1 2B, 6 RBI, 8 BB, 12 K

One other note about baseball: Earlier this week the ACC announced that they had finally made use of the whole network they have for the conference and rescued the early round women’s basketball tournament games and the preliminary games of the ACC Baseball Championship from RSN’s. This means in 2023, while we don’t know where the games will be yet, you’ll be able to go to the ACC Network and watch all of the games, not worrying about them being prompted due to playoff or MLB games. It should make the experience easier.

Good news all the way around, and something to look forward to next spring. Here’s hoping we’ll be able to watch the Heels repeat as ACC Champions.