Tar Heels win record 27th consecutive game at the Bosh, down Notre Dame 10-3

By UNC Athletics

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The No. 13 North Carolina Tar Heels won their 27th consecutive home game, setting a new school record in a 10-3 victory to finish off a series sweep of Notre Dame at Boshamer Stadium on Sunday.

UNC (29-7, 14-4 ACC) improved to 23-0 at home this year, setting the program mark for most consecutive home wins to start a season.

"We haven't talked about [the streaks] at all," UNC head coach Scott Forbes said. "It's a credit to our guys. I told them to try to make it a streak nobody can break, but don't think about it, just play."

Vance Honeycutt homered and collected three of the Tar Heels' 11 hits, while Johnny Castagnozzi, Alex Madera, and Luke Stevenson had two. Junior college transfer Aidan Haugh (2-0) tossed five shutout innings and struck out six in his first start for UNC.

Haugh has 20 strikeouts in his last 12 1/3 innings pitched.

"We were thinking about potentially starting him midweek if we didn't use him on the weekend," Forbes said. "He pitched great. I would've run him back out there [in the sixth], but he was on four days rest and may have to come back on short rest.

"He's throwing 93-95. He's got a hammer of a curveball, and the changeup has been a difference-maker. He's a phenomenal kid; he doesn't say much but deserves what he's getting. He's a great teammate."

Jack Penney had a two-run home run for the Fighting Irish (15-18, 2-16), who lost their 12th consecutive ACC road game and fell for the 10th time in the last 11 games. Rory Fox (1-1) gave up seven runs, eight hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings.

Carolina scored in each of the first four innings and built a 9-0 lead.

Honeycutt hit a two-run homer in the first to tie for second place on the school's all-time list with 49. Castagnozzi had an RBI single in the second, as did Stevenson in the third before Carolina plated five runs in the fourth.

Castagnozzi led off the inning with a double and scored on Anthony Donofrio's sac fly. UNC proceeded to score four runs with two outs. Honeycutt dashed home with the second run of the frame on a wild pitch to make it 6-0.

Notre Dame centerfield TJ Williams dropped Alberto Osuna's fly ball, which would've ended the inning, but instead, two more runs scored. Stevenson followed with a single to center field to bring home Osuna.

UNC scored its final run in the eighth as Donofrio sprinted home on a wild pitch after taking third on an errant pickoff throw to first base.

The Tar Heels return to the diamond on Tuesday, April 16, against No. 20 Coastal Carolina at Boshamer Stadium. The game is scheduled for 6 p.m.