UNC Hitter Nearly Throws Hands After Charging Pitcher Over Staredown
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Things got heated during Tuesday’s game between North Carolina and Gardner-Webb and it led both benches to clear. In the end, though, it was the Tar Heels that got the last laugh on account of a bases loaded balk.
UNC, at 30-17, sits just outside of the Top 25 as the only unranked school with Carolina in its name, but is slated to make a regional as a two seed. It hosted the Runnin’ Bulldogs for a midweek matchup in Chapel Hill and fell behind 3-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning.
ICYMI: Back-to-Back-to-Back tanks in the fourth inning for @GWUBaseball off the bats of Alec Burns, Trevor Mattson and Humberto Torres. #SkoDawgs pic.twitter.com/9Tc3DvZHgs — Gardner-Webb Baseball (@GWUBaseball) May 10, 2023
Right-handed pitcher Grant Vera took over for Gardner-Webb and took the bump trying to protect a 4-3 lead. The senior transfer worked back-to-back groundouts for the first two outs of the half inning.
Jackson Van De Brake stepped into the box for the Tar Heels and quickly fell behind 1-2. Vera got him swinging with a fastball up and away on the very next pitch to end the inning.
And then it got chippy in North Carolina!
Vera turned toward home plate as he exited the mound, flexed, and shouted in Van De Brake’s direction. The UNC slugger did not take kindly to the exchange.
As Vera continued to stare in his direction, Van De Brake tossed his bat, tossed his helmet, took off up the first base line and charged at the pitcher. A pair of Gardner-Webb players, a UNC assistant, and the home plate umpire stepped in to keep the two from exchanging blows, but they came awfully close.
Although nothing physical came of the tussle, both benches cleared. Meanwhile, over on the first base line, coaches from both teams got into a heated argument and had to be separated.
Things getting a bit heated in Chapel Hill as Gardner-Webb heads to the top of the eighth with a 4-3 lead. pic.twitter.com/4U0FQvS1hs — Pat James (@patjames24) May 10, 2023
One inning later, the Tar Heels plated two runs after Vera came out of the game. They scored one on a throwing error, and one on a bases-loaded walk.
A Gardner Webb balk plates the go-ahead run for the Tar Heels and we go to the ninth ahead by one.
Carolina 5, Gardner Webb 4 | B8 — Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) May 10, 2023
North Carolina held on to win, and Van De Brake got the last laugh. Vera went home on the losing end.
Source: OutKick
