“I think the biggest thing was just settling in and getting comfortable,” Harbor said of his growth during his first year in Chapel Hill. “That gives you a little bit more freedom as a player. I did it really quickly and that's a credit to the coaching staff.”
The Hokies got a runner on first base for the game with a right infield hit in the fourth inning. DeCaro seemed affected by the development, walking the next batter after just five pitches. However, with two runners on and two outs, DeCaro induced a pop-out to the third baseman in foul territory, holding Virginia Tech scoreless.
The Tar Heels continued to score in the bottom of the fourth inning. As freshman third baseman Gavin Gallaher stepped to first base, graduate second baseman Alex Madera drove a liner into the left field seats. The Hokie left fielder misplayed the ball, causing it to drift past him and toward the wall. Gallaher safely reached home on the play, Madera slid to third base, and in his next at-bat he reached home himself on a single from D'Onofrio.
After UNC added its seventh run of the game in the fifth inning, DeCaro pitched a complete seventh inning in style. When Hokie catcher Henry Cook came to the plate, DeCaro struck him out for a career-high eighth strikeout of the game.
“He's a tough kid,” head coach Scott Forbes said. “Well, he's not someone you really have to talk to. He has that 'it' element. ”
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The Tar Heels, representing the Hokies' defense all night, who finished with four errors, struck out another runner in the bottom of the inning. With a runner on first base, Cook could not handle the pitch in the dirt and the ball was kicked near the Hokie dugout. Virginia Tech's first baseman picked it up and tried to throw the runner on second base, but instead he threw the ball into the left field seats, giving UNC an 8-0 lead.
DeCaro threw 105 pitches and retired in the eighth inning. He pitched seven innings in his final lineup, giving up zero earned runs, four hits, and eight strikeouts. He took over with a runner on first base with no outs, retiring the Hokies for redshirt sophomore pitcher Dalton Pence to hang his bow in the penultimate slot.
Virginia Tech erased Bagel from the scoreboard with a solo shot to right field in the ninth inning, but Pence closed it out with a strikeout and secured a seven-run victory.
UNC will look to repeat the same success Saturday at 2 p.m., hoping to pick up a series win against Virginia Tech.
@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com
