Closer Look: North Carolina Hitters
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — North Carolina may not have had any pitchers on any of All-ACC teams, but they had a few hitters that ranked among the best.
The Tar Heels as a team have a batting average of .288, 100 home runs, .386 on-base percentage and a .485 slugging percentage. All of those are higher than Arkansas this season — .272 average, 98 home runs, .381 OBP, .483 slugging percentage.
Things start with freshman Vance Honeycutt, who would likely be the top first year player in all of college baseball if Tommy White didn’t hit 27 home runs for North Carolina State.
Honeycutt has a smooth swing from the right side of the plate that helped power him to 24 longballs this season. He hit with a .292 average and posted a 1.063 OPS this year.
Not only can Honeycutt hit and hit for power, but he has plenty of speed on the bases. His 29 stolen bases were good for No. 2 in the ACC this season. He also has an elite glove in center field, something to watch for with an Arkansas team that pops balls up a lot.
Carolina Baseball Twitter
Complimenting Honeycutt is Alberto Osuna, who smashed 20 homers of his own this year. His 57 RBIs are a team-high, but his .265 batting average is third-worst on the squad.
Both Honeycutt and Osuna are hitting with the goal of a home run just about every at bat, which leads to plenty of powerful swings that miss. The pair combined for 171 strikeouts on the year.
On top of two elite power hitters, the Tar Heels boast a pair of batters hitting with at least a .360 average.
Danny Serretti leads the team with a .365 average and a .439 on-base percentage. He is second on the squad with 16 doubles and three triples and he has lethal pull power from the left side. He hit a two-run bomb in Monday’s win over VCU that made it a 7-1 ball game and all but secured a North Carolina Super Regional appearance.
Alongside Serretti is Angel Zarate, who is one hit from 100 hits on the season. He sits with a .360 average on the year and leads the squad with 19 doubles. Zarate strung together 10 hits and five RBIs in the Chapel Hill Regional.
Mac Horvath is another guy that North Carolina will hit near the top of the lineup. He is a power hitter with 18 homers on the year, but a .273 average. He has the ability to take advantage of Razorback left-handers from the right side of the plate.
Carolina Baseball Twitter
Catcher Tomas Frick had an underwhelming season at the plate — .264 average, three homers, 33 RBI — but he put together a solid performance in the Chapel Hill Regional. Frick went 7-17 with three runs, two home runs and five walks.
Left fielder Mikey Madej was named Most Outstanding Player of the Chapel Hill Regional for his 8-23, six RBI and two home run per
The Tar Heels are very top-heavy with their lineup, but the top is loaded. They have no trouble out-scoring opponents — they have scored 134 more runs than opponents this season.
North Carolina Athletics
Unlike Arkansas, the Tar Heels’ lineup is righty-heavy, which bodes well for Saturday’s opener. The Hogs will likely start right-hander Connor Noland, setting up for the always-important righty/righty matchup that Razorback head coach Dave Van Horn loves.
The Hogs will start things against North Carolina at 10 a.m. CST Saturday at Boshamer Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN and Fubo.tv.
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