Tag: Gavin Gallaher

Where is the UNC Baseball team ranked in the 2025 Way-Too-Early Top 25?

Four rising sophomores have the Diamond Heels ranked pretty highly in these 2025 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings.

It’ll be tough to forget the North Carolina Tar Heels’ run to the 2024 College World Series.

UNC compiled one of its best teams in recent memory, headlined by 5-tool center fielder Vance Honeycutt and the ACC’s top recruiting class. As the year progressed, North Carolina learned it had one of the country’s most dangerous batting orders – thank you, Casey Cook and Parks Harber – plus an exceptional bullpen led by Matthew Matthijs and Dalton Pence.

The Diamond Heels faced plenty of drama in the NCAA Tournament: almost losing the first game of their Regional, then facing elimination against LSU heading into the Regional Final. UNC also trailed West Virginia late in Game 1 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional, plus ACC rival Virginia late in both teams’ CWS opener, but came back to win all four contests – on walk-offs.

North Carolina lost a lot of talent from its 2024 run. Honeycutt, Cook, Pence, Anthony Donofrio, Shea Sprague and Aidan Haugh – all starters – were picked in the 2024 MLB Draft, while bullpen arm Cameron Padgett and starting first baseman Park Harber signed free agent deals.

Despite all this, UNC returns a lot of young talent from. That’s why the Diamond Heels are ranked 12th in Baseball America’s 2025 “Way Too Early” Top 25 rankings.

“UNC, this spring, won the ACC and advanced to the College World Series,” Baseball America’s Tommy Cahill wrote. “It has a solid core returning, built around Freshmen All-Americans Jason DeCaro and Luke Stevenson. Third baseman Gavin Gallaher is also back and getting starter Folger Boaz back to full health would be big. But UNC also has a lot to replace. Vance Honeycutt was arguably the best player in program history and must be replaced. UNC also lost All-American closer Dalton Pence, starter Shea Sprague and outfielder Casey Cook, its leading hitter.”

When an April elbow injury forced Boaz to miss the rest of his freshman season, Jason DeCaro became the pitching staff’s ace, finishing his freshman campaign with a 6-1 win-loss record, 3.81 earned run average and a team-best 78 strikeouts.

Power-hitting catcher Luke Stevenson returns a .281 batting average, 14 home runs and 58 RBIs, while Gavin Gallaher – best known for his walk-off in the North Carolina-Long Island University clash during the Chapel Hill Regional – hit .314, mashed eight home runs and drove in 38 runners last season.

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Chapel Hill Regional star Gavin Gallaher highlights the joys of playing summer baseball

UNC baseball fans remember the name Gavin Gallaher well. What famous league is he playing in this summer?

Even a month removed from college baseball season, I still have flashbacks to the North Carolina Tar Heels’ memorable run.

UNC was the fourth national seed heading into the NCAA Tournament, but nearly fell into the elimination bracket of its own regional. North Carolina trailed by three runs heading into its half of the ninth inning, then walked off Long Island University on Gavin Gallaher’s grand slam.

After the season ends, it’s common to see players spending July and August playing in summer collegiate baseball leagues. There’s a variety of these leagues across the country, from the California Collegiate League to the Appalachian League.

One of the most famous collegiate summer leagues is the Cape Cod Baseball League, with all 10 teams in Massachusetts. This league typically carries the top collegiate players, including several former and current UNC standouts.

There’s one current UNC standout playing in the CCBL you might recognize from 2024 heroics – Gallaher himself.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9xhJwJRKQs/

In 19 games with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, Gallaher is hitting .226 with two home runs and 13 RBIs.

Believe it or not, Gallaher began his freshman season coming off the bench. That didn’t last long, as Gallaher compiled a .314 batting average, while hitting eight home runs and driving in 38 runners. He was one of six Diamond Heels to hit a minimum .300, a major reason they made their 13th College World Series in program history.

Gallaher will be one of few returning starters on North Carolina’s 2025 baseball squad.

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Several Diamond Heels earn All-America Honors ahead of College World Series

How many UNC baseball players were named All-Americans on Wednesday?

There is talent sprinkled across the UNC baseball roster.

All of that talent helped North Carolina advance to it first College World Series appearance since 2018, as it looks for national title number one this season.

The Diamond Heels’ most recognizable name is Vance Honeycutt, the only player in ACC baseball history to make the 50-70 club. There’s also Casey Cook, Parks Harber, Alberto Osuna and Luke Stevenson, but those are only a few of many stars at the plate.

On the mound, UNC carries the likes of freshman ace Jason DeCaro, 12-game winner Matthew Matthijs and star closer Dalton Pence. These three are easily North Carolina’s best pitchers, but you don’t have to look far for more stars.

Speaking of talent, several Diamond Heels earned All-America honors ahead of their CWS opener on Friday, June 14 at 2 p.m. ET.

Honeycutt (First Team), Pence (Second Team), DeCaro (Freshman First Team), starting catcher Luke Stevenson (Freshman First Team) and starting third baseman Gavin Gallaher (Freshman Second Team) all nabbed Perfect Game All-America Honors on Wednesday afternoon.

Honeycutt (Second Team), Matthijs (Third Team) and starting UNC first baseman Parks Harber (Second Team) all NCBWA All-America Honors.

Honeycutt leads the Diamond Heels with 26 home runs and 28 stolen bases, Stevenson has a North Carolina-high 484 putouts behind the plate, Gallaher broke into the starting lineup and is fourth on UNC with a .337 batting average, while Harber leads the Diamond Heels with a .341 average and is one of two players with 60 RBIs (Honeycutt).

Pence carries a team-high 71 strikeouts into the CWS and, among qualified pitchers, a team-best 2.04 earned run average. DeCaro’s six wins are most amongst starters (and second on North Carolina), while Matthijs’ 12 victories lead UNC and has him tied for second in Division I.

Will the Diamond Heels’ All-Americans continue their superstar-level play in Omaha?

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UNC starting third baseman Gavin Gallaher going to College World Series for second time

Playing in the College World Series, I imagine, is a lot different than watching it. Just ask UNC starting third baseman Gavin Gallaher.

Gavin Gallaher delivered a loud introduction to Tar Heel Nation on Friday, May 31, launching a walk-off grand slam in UNC’s come-from-behind, 11-8 victory over Long Island University to start its run through the Chapel Hill Regional.

Fast-forward to the end of Saturday, June 8 – Gallaher and his Diamond Heel teammates are celebrating their first trip to Omaha (Neb.) since 2018.

After coming from behind to beat West Virginia on Friday, June 7 in Game 1 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional, when Vance Honeycutt capped the 8-6 victory with a walk-off home run, North Carolina barely won a 2-1 game Saturday to clinch a College World Series spot.

For every player on the current UNC roster, 2024 is their first trip to Omaha – expect for one.

Gallaher, who grew up in Apex, NC, has obviously never played in the CWS before. He did, however, make a trip up to Nebraska when he was a young, aspiring baseball star.

I’m sure that Gallaher enjoyed watching the CWS as a young kid, but imagine how surreal it feels to actually be playing in the CWS.

Gallaher and his Diamond Heel teammates will try to bring the program its first national championship, nearly two decades after it lost to Oregon State in the 2006 and 2007 finals. They’ll start that quest on Friday, June 14 against UVA at a time TBA.

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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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How to watch UNC vs LSU in Chapel Hill Regional

Find out how and where to watch the UNC and LSU baseball matchup in the Chapel Hill Regional.

When it was announced that the University of North Carolina would be hosting the Chapel Hill Regional, excitement filled the air until a day later, when LSU popped into their bracket.

Knowing that these two powerhouses would have to go against one another added value to the Region, causing a sold-out weekend at the Bosh. Both teams surprisingly struggled in their games, needing a walk-off homer against teams that should’ve been more of a tune-up.

LSU was in a defensive battle against Wofford, tied up 3-3 when in the bottom of the third, shortstop Steven Milam blasted a walk-off homerun, ending the Terrier’s upset hopes.

On the flip side, UNC had control after regaining the lead against a fiery LIU team that wouldn’t give up. In the 9th inning, they put up four runs to retake the lead, but the legend of [autotag]Gavin Gallaher[/autotag] grew as he hit a walk-off grand slam to avoid the Sharks trap and win it 11-8.

Now we get the matchup everyone circled when the Regional was released, and here’s how you can watch it.

UNC-LSU TV, RADIO, AND STREAMING INFORMATION

WHAT: North Carolina (43-13, 22-8 ACC) vs. LSU (41-21, 13-17 SEC)

WHEN: Saturday, June 1 at 5 p.m.

LOCATION: Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, NC

TV: ESPN2 / ESPN+ (Watch and stream the game live on ESPN)

ANNOUNCERS: Mike Monaco, Gaby Sanchez

SATELLITE RADIO: Tar Heel Sports Network

WEBSITE: WatchESPN

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Gavin Gallaher rallies fans after walk-off grand slam victory

UNC’s third baseman Gavin Gallaher sends message to fans following his walk-off grand slam.

While celebrating the University of North Carolina’s dramatic win in the Chapel Hill Regionals of the NCAA Tournament, [autotag]Gavin Gallaher[/autotag] took the time to record a message for UNC fans.

In the video, Gallaher can be seen celebrating in the dugout, smeared eye paint and all, telling fans, “Let’s play tomorrow, come out, be there,” in-between cheers of triumph.

Gallaher had a huge night tonight, going 3-for-4 at the plate and racking up two home runs, with his final home run of the night being a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning. That grand slam led to the Tar Heel’s defeat over the Long Island Sharks.

Gallaher’s performance not only secured the win but also energized the team and fans for the challenges ahead.

The Heels will continue their NCAA tournament run on Saturday, as they face the 2023 National Champions, the LSU Tigers. Tonight’s exciting win paired with the encouragement from Gallaher should bring Tar Heel fans out to the Bosh for what is sure to be another riveting game of baseball.

The winner of Saturday’s game will go on to play in the Chapel Hill Regional Title game on Sunday.

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UNC Freshman Gavin Gallaher shines with walk-off Grand Slam in Chapel Hill Regional opener

University of North Carolina Freshman Gavin Gallaher shines with walk-off Grand Slam against LIU in Chapel Hill Regional opener

It was a night to remember for University of North Carolina third baseman freshman [autotag]Gavin Gallaher[/autotag], who played lights out in the Tar Heels thrilling 11-8 victory over Long Island.

Many expected the UNC to roll over LIU, but that was anything else, with the Tar Heels barely escaping the Shark’s jaws. Instead, it was thanks to a big night from Gallaher, who delivered throughout critical moments of the game.

Gallaher hit a huge home run in the fourth inning to bring UNC within one and followed up in the sixth inning with an RBI double to tie the game. His biggest hit of the night wouldn’t come until the bottom of the ninth, where he hit his second home run of the game, this time in a walk-off grand slam fashion.

 

It was UNC’s first walk-off win in an NCAA tournament since 2019, electrifying fans in the stands and at home. As a freshman, it gets no better than what Gallaher was able to do in his NCAA tournament debut. Gallaher went 3-for-4 at the plate with two home runs, including a grand slam for a storybook ending.

If the Tar Heels want to beat LSU, they will need Gallaher and that swing to show up.

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UNC baseball edges out LIU in thrilling Chapel Hill Regional

The University of North Carolina held off the Sharks to win 11-8 in a thrilling Chapel Hill Regional opener.

Who knew Sharks could be so dangerous? Well, the University of North Carolina baseball program found that out early during their first game of the Chapel Hill Regional. 

The Tar Heels needed a walk-off grand slam from freshman Gavin Gallaher to escape a big upset bd in the bottom of the ninth. After UNC gave up the lead in the top half of the inning, they found themselves down three with three outs to go.

And then one of their talented freshmen delivered the big swing for a 11-8 win.

The game had its ups and downs for the Diamond Heels, grabbing an early lead, losing it, re-grabbing the lead and then relinquishing it back up. In fact, it was not looking good for a lot of it.

Pitcher [autotag]Jason DeCaro[/autotag] got the start, becoming the third freshman since 1999 to start a Regional opener, and despite looking to be in control, things would soon explode. After taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning, it felt like easy sailing for UNC, however, the third inning showed otherwise. The Long Island Sharks attacked, put three runs on the board, and officially put UNC on their heels. 

The Tar Heels did start to answer back in the fourth inning with a sweet homer by [autotag]Gavin Gallaher[/autotag].

Panic would creep in with UNC struggling to put up runs, only scoring that one in the fourth, and finding themselves down 3-2 heading into the sixth. However, in Tar Heel fashion, UNC surged back, tying the game with a Gallaher double, before [autotag]Alex Madera[/autotag] stepped up to the plate adding two more runs. 

LIU did muster up another run in the eighth, but the damage appeared to be done until it wasn’t… Instead of finishing the job, UNC added more work to their plate after allowing four runs in the ninth inning to go down 8-5 before the Gallaher heroics.

Next up for the UNC is a date against the LSU Tigers as they look to get a one-game advantage. The two teams will face off Saturday at 5 p.m., with the winner taking on whoever wins between LIU and Wofford.

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