CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Vance Honeycutt hit two long home runs and North Carolina advanced to the championship round of the Chapel Hill Regional, defeating LSU 6-2 on Saturday night.
After 4 1/2 scoreless innings, North Carolina broke through in the bottom of the fifth with Honeycutt’s three-run shot deep to left field.
LSU, the defending national champion, fought back by drawing back-to-back bases-loaded walks in the seventh inning. Honeycutt answered in the bottom of the seventh, hitting a solo shot that was also deep to left field. It was his 61st career home run.
The Tar Heels added two in the eighth on a single by Gavin Gallaher and a groundout by Alex Madera.
LSU (41-22) will play an elimination game against Wofford on Sunday and North Carolina (44-13) will play the winner later in the day. If the Tar Heels were to lose, a final game would be played on Monday to decide the championship and which team will head to a super regional.
North Carolina’s Shea Sprague got the start and was taken out after one out in the fifth inning. He allowed no runs on four hits. Ben Peterson (2-2) pitched two innings and got the win although he was charged with both of LSU’s runs. Dalton Pence pitched 2 2/3 for his seventh save.
LSU’s Luke Holman (9-3) took the loss after allowing four runs in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out 11.
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