Tag: Chapel Hill Regional

Three LSU Tigers earn All-American honors from Baseball America

All three of these guys are likely to hear their names called in the 2024 MLB draft.

Baseball America has released its list of the 2024 baseball All-Americans. Three LSU Tigers have made the list.

[autotag]Griffin Herring[/autotag], [autotag]Luke Holman[/autotag], and [autotag]Tommy White[/autotag] are the three Tigers who have been named All-Americans by Baseball America. One Tiger was named a second-team All-American while the other two were both third-team All-Americans.

Herring earned second-team All-American honors after being the best pitcher on the pitching staff this year. He finished the season with a 6-1 record and a 1.79 ERA. In 50.1 innings of work, he struck out 67 hitters while only walking 13. In his last outing of the year, he pitched a gem against Wofford and earned a win.

Holman had a great season on the bayou as he finished with a 9-4 record and a 2.75 ERA. In 91.2 innings of work, he struck out 127 hitters and only walked 33. His last appearance of the season came in a loss to North Carolina in the [autotag]Chapel Hill Regional[/autotag].

White had a good season as he finished with a .330 batting average with 12 doubles, 24 homers, and 70 RBI. All three of these guys are likely to hear their names called in the [autotag]2024 MLB Draft[/autotag].

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LSU head baseball coach Jay Johnson calls Diamond Heels a national title contender

It’s never easy to admit how good a team that just ended your season is. LSU head coach Jay Johnson did exactly that after UNC advanced to the Super Regionals Monday night.

Three days ago, the UNC baseball team was three outs away from watching its season end.

North Carolina trailed the defending champion LSU Tigers, 3-2, after an early offensive explosion from both teams. The Diamond Heels scored two quick runs in the first inning, followed by LSU taking a lead with a groundout and two home runs.

Friday night hero Gavin Gallaher was on second base – with one out –in the top of the ninth. UNC starting shortstop Colby Wilkerson faced a quick 0-2 count, sending a shockwave of worry through the Boshamer Stadium crowd.

Wilkerson battled back to a 2-2 count, then sent the game-tying single into  left field. After North Carolina closer Dalton Pence worked around a Hayden Travinski single in the bottom half, Alex Madera gave the Diamond Heels a 4-3 lead on a full-count, 2-out single in the top of the 10th.

Pence walked Jared Jones and later watched as a Josh Pearson fly ball head into deep center field, but 2-time ACC Defensive Player of the year Vance Honeycutt caught Pearson’s fly ball and ended the Chapel Hill Regional.

With all of this being said – and heartbreak surely creeping through the LSU dugout – Tigers head coach Jay Johnson praised UNC as a team that can win the College World Series.

“They might win it,” Jay Johnson said about the Diamond Heels in postgame interviews Monday night. “They have the pieces to win the national title. They’re built for the ballpark in Omaha. They do a terrific job coaching.”

I can’t imagine this was easy for Johnson to say, but I appreciate the vote of confidence from one of the best coaches in college baseball. He helped LSU to its seventh CWS title last year, so he truly knows what to look for in a title contender.

UNC now welcomes West Virginia to Boshamer Stadium for the Chapel Hill Super Regional, with first pitch slated for 6 p.m. ET on Friday, June 7.

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UNC baseball star Vance Honeycutt tabbed Academic All-District

Did you know Vance Honeycutt is quite the classroom standout?

Most of the attention Vance Honeycutt receives is for his outstanding play on the baseball field.

Honeycutt, UNC’s starting center fielder and a lock to become a first-round selection in July’s MLB Draft, can hit, run and field just as good as anyone. During the Chapel Hill Regional from Friday, May 31-Monday, June 3, ESPN broadcasting team Mike Monaco and Gaby Sanchez went as far as saying Honeycutt was THE best player in the country (a true statement, in our eyes).

Earlier this year, Honeycutt became the only player in ACC Baseball history to mash 50 career home runs and steal 70 career bases. He also won his second-consecutive ACC Defensive Player of the Year award, an honor cemented by his Chapel Hill Regional-ending catch on Monday night against LSU.

Entering the Chapel Hill Super Regional, which starts Friday at 6 p.m. against West Virginia, Honeycutt carries a .309 batting average, 62 RBIs and a North Carolina-best 24 home runs.

We could highlight Honeycutt all day on the field, but he’s actually quite the student in the classroom, too.

On Tuesday, June 4, Honeycutt was named to the College Sports Communications’ Academic All-District team.

Earning a spot on this team means that Honeycutt, a junior Communications major, has a minimum 3.50 GPA and competed in 90 percent of the Diamond Heels’ games.

On Sunday, July 7 – hopefully after UNC wins the College World Series – Honeycutt will be named an All-America honoree.

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Chapel Hill Regional hero Alex Madera praises Boshamer Stadium crowd

Just how loud was the Boshamer Stadium crowd Monday night? Ask Alex Madera, who drove in the game-winning run.

I still can’t get over how the UNC baseball team came back and beat LSU on Monday night, closing out the Chapel Hill Regional with a dramatic, 4-3 victory.

The ability to comeback typically isn’t an issue for North Carolina, given how hot their bats are swinging. Vance Honeycutt, Parks Harber and Casey Cook can mash a home run at any time, but virtually everyone in the Diamond Heels’ lineup is a threat, as the above three and Anthony Donofrio, Alex Madera and Friday night hero Gavin Gallaher all sport batting averages over .300.

That wasn’t the case on Monday night.

After UNC scored two quick runs in the first inning, its bats went ice-cold. North Carolina managed just two hits over the second-eighth innings, while the defending College World Series champion Tigers came back for a 3-2 lead in the third.

Every team needs clutch hitting, though, which the Diamond Heels provided plenty of in the ninth and 10th innings.

UNC starting shortstop Colby Wilkerson battled back from an 0-2 count, singling to left field and tying the game at three in the ninth.

In the top of the 10th (we agree, it’s weird North Carolina was the visiting team), Diamond Heels starting second baseman Alex Madera drove a hard ground ball into center field for a 4-3 lead, practically causing Boshamer Stadium to shake. UNC held on to win by that same score, advancing it to the Super Regionals against West Virginia.

What’s wild to think, though, is Madera wasn’t even in Chapel Hill at this time last year.

He was playing at Division-III Arcadia University in Pennsylvania, where crowds paled in comparison to The Bosh.

“It’s incredible,” Madera said about the Boshamer Staduium crowd on Monday night. “There’s nothing like it. You know, obviously at a small Division III school, you’re playing in front of maybe 100, 200 people max. It’s all families mainly. Nobody’s really getting into it that much. Just to hear that tonight, it was it was incredible.”

If Madera thought Monday night’s crowd was wild, imagine how hectic this Friday and Saturday will be, as North Carolina will be playing for its first College World Series berth since 2018.

Can Madera provide more heroics in the next round?

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MVP Gavin Gallaher leads four Diamond Heels on Regional All-Tournament Team

Which four Diamond Heels made the Chapel Hill Regional All-Tournament Team?

With the UNC baseball team facing a shocking upset early in the Chapel Hill Regional on Friday night, starting third baseman Gavin Gallaher stepped up to the plate.

Gallaher and his Diamond Heel teammates trailed the LIU Sharks 8-7, but the bases were loaded with one out. On an 0-1 pitch from Justin DeCastro, Gallager blasted a grand slam over the netting in left field, sending Boshamer Stadium into a frenzy not many home games have rivaled.

Thanks to his overall performance in the Chapel Hill Regional – 5-for-17, seven RBIS and two home runs, Gallaher was named the Regionals’s Most Outstanding Player.

Several North Carolina teammates joined Gallaher on the All-Tournament Team – starting right fielder Anthony Donofrio, designated hitter Alberto Osuna and, to no one’s surprise, star closer Dalton Pence, who dominated on the mound in North Carolina’s come-from-behind, 4-3 victory over reigning national champion LSU on Monday, June 3 that advanced it into the Super Regionals.

Donofrio mashed a red-hot 9-for-17 with four RBIs, plus he scored two runs and made a couple game-saving plays in right field.

Osuna hit 5-for-17 with two RBIs, with his best game coming in the Regional Opener against LIU.

Pence hurled 8 1/3 innings, striking out 10 batters and allowing just two runs on three hits. He saved his best game for Monday night, striking out four Tigers and allowing just one hit – through 3 2/3 innings – on a season-high 63 pitches.

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UNC star closer Dalton Pence was the biggest pitching factor in Monday night win

Dalton Pence kept pushing through in Monday night’s Chapel Hill Regional Final, helping deliver UNC an extremely exciting victory.

Before Monday night’s Chapel Hill Regional Final, UNC head baseball coach Scott Forbes said “all his horses would be ready to go.”

In this case, Forbes referred to his star-studded bullpen, which includes 12-game winner Matthew Matthijs and star closer Dalton Pence.

North Carolina ended up starting the game with freshman ace Jason DeCaro, who tossed two innings of 2-hit, 2-run ball, then turned to Matthijs for 4 1/3 innings. After giving up a go-ahead home run to Jared Jones in the third inning, Matthijs only allowed one hit the rest of his outing.

Pence, normally the Diamond Heels’ ninth inning, came into the game with one goal – limit LSU’s power-hitting lineup.

Pence did exactly that, hurling 3 2/3 innings while only allowing one hit and two walks, on a season-high 63 pitches. This included facing the likes of Jared Jones and Jake Brown, who homered for the Tigers earlier in the night.

It’s no surprise to Tar Heel Nation that UNC named Pence its Player of the Game.

Even with how well Pence pitched, it wouldn’t be a postseason baseball game without a little late-inning drama.

Pence quickly retired Tommy White and Steven Milam, then walked Jared Jones, who took second on a wild pitch. Josh Pearson, the possible final out, sent a deep fly ball to center field.

The ball looked like it could’ve gone out of Boshamer Stadium, but North Carolina star center fielder Vance Honeycutt made a great catch to send UNC onto the Super Regionals.

You can bet the Diamond Heels will call on Pence for more clutch situations in the Super Regionals.

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Colby Wilkerson, Alex Madera deliver the clutch hitting UNC needed in Monday’s win

UNC baseball players Colby Wilkerson and Alex Madera are heroes amongst everyone in Tar Heel Nation.

The UNC baseball team appeared well on its way to a blowout victory in Monday Night’s Chapel Hill Regional Final against defending national champion LSU, scoring two quick runs in the first inning on a bases-loaded walk and a double-play groundout.

North Carolina could’ve easily added more insurance runs, but hitters decided to be aggressive early in the count – a head-scratching choice after Tiger pitchers struggled with control.

The LSU bats then wasted no time jumping on star UNC freshman pitcher Jason DeCaro, tying the winner-take-all contest on a second-inning home run from standout freshman Jake Brown. Thanks to a Jared Jones home run, the Tigers then took a 3-2 lead in the following inning.

Given how the Diamond Heels started Monday’s game offensively, surely they would rebound and showcase a hitting barrage.

North Carolina didn’t threaten much at all after LSU took the lead – until it was crunch time.

Starting UNC shortstop Colby Wilkerson battled back from a 1-out, 0-2 count against Gage Jump in the ninth inning, tying the game at three on a single to left field.

In the top of the 10th (we agree, it’s weird the Diamond Heels are visitors in their own stadium), facing a 3-2, 2-out count, starting second baseman Alex Madera gave North Carolina the lead when he drove a hard ground ball into center field.

Pandemonium then ensued in Chapel Hill and – in the next half inning – star UNC closer Dalton Pence baited Josh Pearson into a game-ending flyout.

In two desperate situations when the Diamond Heels needed runs, the last two hitters in their lineup came through.

Thanks to Wilkerson and Madera, North Carolina will now host West Virginia this coming weekend in a Super Regional.

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Diamond Heels advance to Super Regionals, come back and beat reigning champs in extras

UNC and LSU provided the college baseball world with an instant classic during Monday night’s Chapel Hill Regional Final.

The UNC baseball team was three outs away from elimination in its own NCAA Tournament Regional on Monday night.

LSU’s bullpen was mowing through the Diamond Heels’ star-studded lineup, which included the powerful bats of Vance Honeycutt, Casey Cook and Parks Harber. North Carolina only managed two hits after the first inning, with both coming against star Tigers reliver Will Hellmers.

Tar Heel Nation hoped, but didn’t necessarily expect based on how Monday’s game went, for what happened in the ninth and 10th innings.

Colby Wilkerson drove in Friday night hero Gavin Gallaher to tie the game at three in the ninth inning, Alex Madera drove in pinch-runner Jackson Van De Brake during the 10th for the go-ahead run, then Dalton Pence – North Carolina’s star closer, baited LSU slugger Josh Pearson into a game-ending flyout that advanced UNC to the Super Regionals with a 4-3 victory.

The Diamond Heels will now host West Virginia, which went 3-0 in the Tuscon Regional, this coming weekend.

With North Carolina facing a 3-2 deficit in the top of the ninth (weird, we know), Gallaher found another clutch hit in his bat with a lead-off double. Madera then struck out by bunting a 1-2 pitch just foul, then Wilkerson worked his way back from an 0-2 count to drive in Gallaher.

Pence then worked around a Hayden Travinski single in the ninth, striking out Paxton Kling to end the Tigers’ threat.

Gage Jump, normally a starter for the Tigers, got two quick outs to start the 10th. UNC pinch-hitter Johnny Castagnozzi mashed a two-out pitch to right field, Jump intentionally walked Gallaher, then Madera drove in Van De Brake for the go-ahead run.

It wouldn’t be a Diamond Heels game without a little final-inning drama. Pence recorded two quick outs, walked Jared Jones, then Honeycutt caught a towering fly ball from Josh Pearson to send Chapel Hill into pandemonium.

On a night where North Carolina pitching excelled, it was the hitting that found a way to come through in crunch time.

As a result, UNC will be hosting a Super Regional for the second time in three years.

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Shaky pitching, runners left on base pushes UNC baseball to brink of elimination in NCAA Tournament

A day after locking down LSU in a 4-run victory, the UNC pitching staff struggled in Sunday night’s loss.

The North Carolina Tar Heels’ pitching staff locked down a loaded LSU lineup on Saturday evening.

A day after allowing the LIU Sharks to score eight runs, including five in the final two innings, UNC pitchers held the defending champion Tigers to just two runs – both on bases-loaded walks.

Simply put – to advance and host its first Super Regional in two years, the Diamond Heels would have to excel on the mound. Starting pitching has been up-and-down all year, but the like of Matthew Matthijs and Dalton Pence give the North Carolina bullpen two reliable arms.

Starting pitching doomed UNC early on Saturday night, proving too much to later overcome in an 8-4 loss to LSU.

Even with shaky pitching, the Diamond Heels nearly came back in the ninth inning. They loaded the bases with one out, thanks to shaky pitching from Gavin Guidry, but he struck out Luke Stevenson and got Friday night hero Gavin Gallagher to fly out and send the Chapel Hill Regional to a decisive game Monday.

Aidan Haugh, typically the Diamond Heels’ third starter in their rotation, took the loss by giving up four runs – on five hits – through just three innings. John Pearson, the Tigers’ starting left fielder, drove in their first two runs on a first-inning home run.

Kyle Percival, who entered the game with a 1.61 earned run average, walked both batters he faced before North Carolina head coach Scott Forbes pulled him. Connor Bovair entered Saturday night with a 3.38 ERA, but gave up two runs on five hite in 2 2/3 innings.

UNC enjoyed a decent hitting night at the plate, threatening in the third, seventh, eighth and ninth innings, but left several runners in scoring position. Anthony Donofrio was the Diamond Heels’ best hitter, mashing 3-for-4 with three RBIs.

North Carolina will try to advance again on Monday, June 3, when it battles LSU – at 6 p.m. ET – in a winner-take-all game for a spot in the Super Regionals.

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UNC pitchers enjoy much-needed Saturday bounceback against defending champs

Diamond Heel pitchers enjoyed quite the turnaround in Saturday’s Chapel Hill Regional nightcap.

The North Carolina Tar Heels’ unusually shaky bullpen nearly put them in the elimination bracket of their own regional Friday night.

Holding onto a 5-3 lead over Long Island University entering the eighth inning, UNC head coach Scott Forbes brought in star closer Dalton Pence to close things out.

LIU tied the game at five in the ninth, scoring two runs against Pence and opting Forbes to call for reliever Matt Poston. The Sharks took an 8-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth, striking fear and disbelief into the hearts of Tar Heel Nation.

Lucky for the Diamond Heels, their bats came alive in the home half of the ninth, with freshman Gavin Gallagher capping off a 6-run ninth inning by hitting a walk-off grand slam. With UNC now knowing it’d match up against LSU, one had to wonder if North Carolina’s pitching staff would hold up against a significantly stronger offense.

It certainly did.

On Saturday, June 1, a day after giving up eight runs to the now-eliminated NEC Champions, Diamond Heel pitchers allowed just two runs on seven hits. This was a crucial factor in UNC’s 6-2 victory, which advanced them to Sunday’s 6 p.m. Chapel Hill Regional Final.

Starter Shea Sprague’s outing lowered his earned run average to a team-best 3.76. Ben Peterson lowered his ERA to under 5.00, one of 11 North Carolina pitchers to do so, while Pence’s 2 2/3 no-hit innings solidified his back-of-the-bullpen spot.

The Diamond Heels will play either Wofford for the first time – or LSU again – on Sunday at 6 p.m.

Will the UNC pitching staff show up and push them into the Super Regional?

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