Tech falls twice at No. 6 UNC

Friday, February 14

Chapel Hill, N.C

12 p.m. (ET)/11 a.m. (CT)

Texas Tech Athletics

0-1

No. 6 North Carolina

1-0

Texas Tech

North Carolina

February 14, 2025 | Baseball

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Despite a pair of homers from TJ Pompey and a homer from Damian Bravo, the Red Raiders fell twice Friday

By: Andrew Stern

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Despite a pair of home runs from TJ Pompey and a home run from Damian Bravo, Texas Tech Baseball dropped both ends of a doubleheader by a 5-1 and 8-3 scoreline Friday at Boshamer Stadium.

In the doubleheader, Texas Tech (0-2) was led by Pompey and Damian Bravo who combined for three home runs and all four of Tech's RBIs. Catcher Davis Rivers also had a strong day, as the sophomore singled and doubled in the game two setback. Bravo also recorded the lone hit on the day with runners in scoring position, a two-out single in the fifth.

On the afternoon, the Red Raiders struggled defensively, as the sixth-ranked Tar Heels (2-0) combined to score nine of their 13 runs on the day on Tech miscues. At the plate, the Red Raiders managed to go just 2-for-24 with runners on base and 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Conversely, Carolina went 7-for-23 with RISP and 12-for-33 with runners on.

GAME ONE:
Facing the potential No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 MLB Draft, Jack DeCaro, the Red Raiders made the sophomore righty work as both infielder Antonelli Savaterre and outfielder Kyeler Thompson worked deep counts before the side was retired in order in 18 pitches.

In his first career start as a Red Raider, Jack Cebert retired the first batters he would face on the afternoon before a two-out walk and an error plated the Tar Heels first
unearned run of the afternoon.

After another 1-2-3 top of the second, UNC seized control of the game, when back-to-back singles placed runners on first and second with no out.
Looking for a double play, Cebert coaxed a grounder to second base that eluded the reach of Savettere and bounded into right-center. The misplay gave UNC a 2-0 lead.

Cebert limited the damage to just two runs as he coaxed a grounder and used a strikeout to escape the frame.
UNC made it 4-0 in the home half of the third when an RBI grounder plated Rom Kellis.

Down 4-0, the Red Raiders turned to righty Zane Petty, who in his first appearance since last Mar. 19 allowed just one run in three innings. Petty whiffed three and
throw just 51 pitches.

The run that Petty allowed, came in the fourth, after a single by Kane Kepley and a one-out RBI double from Tyson Bass.

Hitless through the first four-and-two-thirds, the Red Raiders their first knock of the season when Robin Villeneuve singled with two outs. The single was all Tech managed off UNCs Decaro who went five-scoreless innings allowing the one hit and just two walks. The righty struck out six over his 76-pitch outing.

The game remained 5-0 until the eighth, when Pompey launched a 420-foot home run halfway off the light pole in left. The blast was the lone run the Red Raiders scratched across in Friday's first game.

In addition to the strong work from Petty out of the pen, Midland College transfer Tyler Boudreau did not allow a run in his two scoreless innings of work.

Facing Preseason First Team All-American Matthew Matthijs, Tech used a pair of two-out singles to bring the tying run to the on-deck circle, but Matthijs used a strikeout of catcher Davis Rivers to close out the game one win for UNC.

GAME TWO:

Looking to flip the script in the nightcap of the twin ball, Tech got a one-out single from Thompson to place a runner in scoring position in the top of the first, but a grounder ended the mini threat.

Turning to sophomore Mac Heuer, who also made his first appearance after suffering a season-ending injury, Tech fell behind again in the first when a leadoff hit-by-pitch and a no-out single allowed the Tar Heels to plate one run.

Down 1-0, the Red Raiders immediately tied the game at one-all, when Bravo led off the second with a solo blast to left.
Tech's next batter, Rivers, laced a no-out double into the left field corner, but a pair of strikeouts sandwiched between a flyout limited the Red Raider threat.

The game remained 1-1 until the home-half of the fourth, when a two-out double and a walk placed a pair of runners in scoring position for Hunter Stokley who laced a two-run double into the left-centerfield gap.

Down 3-1, the Red Raiders behind a solo home run from TJ Pompey and a two-out RBI single from Bravo tied the game at 3-all in the top of the fifth.

With the game tied once again, UNC quickly took control for good in the home-half of the fifth putting up three runs off senior righty Trendan Parish on a pair of RBI hits and an errant pickoff attempt.

Up 6-3, the Tar Heels added an unearned run in the sixth to go up 7-3, on a dropped pop-up error and a pair of passed balls.

UNC ultimately added one more run in the eight off Auburn transfer Zach Crotchfelt on a single, a wild pitch and an RBI single.

The Red Raiders despite the leadoff hitter reaching in four of the nine frames, managed just the three runs in the 8-3 setback, as the Red Raiders went 1-for-14 with runners on base and 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

In the doubleheader setbacks, the Red Raider bullpen was strong, striking out 15 Tar Heels in eight innings and allowing just four runs.

UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders will look to salvage the third and final game of the series on Saturday afternoon against the sixth-ranked Tar Heels. Due to the weather forecast, Saturday's series finale has been pushed up to a Noon (ET)/11 a.m. start.