After a terrific season, Iowa (42-14, 15-8 Big Ten) heads to the Terre Haute Regional as the No. 2 seed. The Hawkeyes will meet No. 3 seed North Carolina (35-22, 14-14 ACC) at 6 p.m. CT on the ACC Network and ESPN+.
The winner will advance into a winner’s bracket contest against Indiana State tomorrow night at 5 p.m., while the loser will have to turn around quickly and play Wright State tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. The Sycamores erased a three-run deficit and rallied back late to top the Raiders, 6-5, in their first time hosting.
Coming in, this looked like it could be one of the most competitive regionals nationally. Iowa already beat Indiana State to open the season and North Carolina owns 19 top-100 RPI wins. Plus, the Hawkeyes’ pitching staff should give them a chance versus anybody.
Iowa got a bit of good news from North Carolina skipper Scott Forbes, though. In its regional opener, the Hawkeyes won’t have to worry about the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and Tar Heel superstar Vance Honeycutt.
Per Inside Carolina, Forbes confirmed that Honeycutt has been ruled out of the Terre Haute Regional. Honeycutt has been dealing with a lower-back injury and hasn’t played in North Carolina’s last seven games.
“If we go on a run and we get to Omaha, you always have hope. But Vance will not be available for the regional,” Forbes confirmed on Monday.
Prior to this seven-game stretch, the 6-foot-3, 205 pound sophomore center fielder hadn’t missed a start in center field since arriving on campus. While Honeycutt grabbed ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors, his bat is lethal as well.
The Salisbury, N.C., native hit a UNC-record 25 home runs last season and has 12 blasts in 2023. He is also a threat on the base paths, racking up 48 steals in 57 career attempts.
Honeycutt has a knack for this time of year, too. He hit .400 (6-for-15) during the ACC Tournament last season, while belting four homers and driving in 10 runs. In the NCAA regional, he hit .400 (10-for-25) with four more homers and eight RBI.
That was a key catalyst for UNC advancing one win away from Omaha. Though Honeycutt is a dynamic player, Forbes made it clear that his first responsibility is protecting Honeycutt’s health now and going forward.
“My job as the head coach here is to take care of our players first. And Vance Honeycutt’s going to be playing baseball for a long time, way past probably me even coaching—that long, he’s that talented. So you get the doctors’ opinions, and we have to do what’s best for Vance. And Vance, he wants to play. But until that lower back heals completely, it’s just one of those things. You have to rest to heal it,” Forbes said.
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