Tag: Jackson Van De Brake

UNC baseball captain enters name in transfer portal

Entering the transfer portal doesn’t necessarily rule out a return to Chapel Hill for UNC’s baseball captain.

Though he spent most of the 2024 college baseball season coming off the bench, there’s no doubt Jackson Van De Brake has been a crucial part of the UNC baseball team’s success over the past two seasons.

Van De Brake started 57 games at second base last year, earning Second Team All-ACC honors by hitting .307 and leading the Diamond Heels with a .439 on-base percentage.

This year, however, Van De Brake struggled to find that same offensive production (.213 batting average). He was overtaken in the starting lineup by Division-III transfer Alex Madera, who finished the season as one of six North Carolina players to hit .300.

Even in a reserve role, Van De Brake still found ways to contribute.

Van De Brake’s greatest heroics came in UNC’s College World Series opener on Friday, June 14 against ACC rival Virginia, when he delivered a pinch-hit double in relief of designated hitter Alberto Osuna. With Osuna previously striking out three times in the game, Diamond Heels head coach Scott Forbes turned to his captain.

Van De Brake earned a start against top-ranked Tennessee two days later, but wasn’t able to record a hit in three at-bats.

In some shocking news on Wednesday, July 3, Van De Brake entered his name in the transfer portal with a “do not contact” designation.

This designation means that Van De Brake has to initiate contact with other teams, which leaves open the possibility of him returning to Chapel Hill.

With Madera exhausting his eligibility, Van De Brake should resume a starting role if he decides upon a return.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions

Diamond Heels praise Jackson Van De Brake for late pinch-hit double in CWS opener

Check out the love Jackson Van De Brake receives from his UNC baseball teammates after his heroics in Friday’s College World Series opener.

The UNC and University of Virginia baseball teams entered the ninth inning of yesterday’s College World Series opener deadlocked at two.

Dalton Pence, North Carolina’s star closer, mowed through Cavalier batters in the top half of the inning. This would set the stage, once again, for a potential dramatic walk-off.

Facing a 2-1 count with 2 outs, Diamond Heels star center fielder Vance Honeycutt did what he’s done so many time this year already – deliver a clutch hit. Honeycutt lined a hard single into left field, just past the outstretched glove of UVA shortstop Griff O’Ferrall, delivering UNC a 3-2 victory that kept it in the CWS winners’ bracket.

While Honeycutt’s heroics can be seen on virtually any media platform, it’s the lead-off double from North Carolina captain/pinch-hitter Jackson Van De Brake, that set the stage for more ninth-inning heroics.

Van De Brake’s teammates can be seen hyping him up in postgame interviews – just watch what starting left fielder Casey Cook and read what starting third baseman Gavin Gallaher said.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8PT7zEsu6e/?img_index=2

“He’s a great teammate,” Cook said in postgame interviews. “He’s all we can ask for. He’s there for us. He’s cheering us on when we’re out there playing, so it makes us extremely happy to see him come through. You don’t want it for anyone else other than Jackson. He’s out captain and we love it for him. We have full confidence in him, so that’s great to see out of him.”

You can watch Cook speak by scrolling over to the second slide. There’s also a quote from Gallaher on the fourth slide.

With designated hitter Roberto Osuna striking out three times in Game 1, coupled with Van De Brake’s heroics, you have to wonder if Van De Brake gets the start for Sunday’s Game 2.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions

UNC baseball reserve Jackson Van De Brake delivers clutch pinch-hit double in CWS opener

Jackson Van De Brake defined what it means to be a pinch-hitter on Friday afternoon, mashing a ninth-inning, leadoff double in UNC’s 3-2 win over UVA to open the College World Series.

In the postseason, when base hits are tougher to come by, teams need their best bats to deliver.

Alberto Osuna, the UNC baseball team’s designated hitter, typically is one of the more reliable bats in the lineup. He was one of five Diamond Heels to finish the regular season with double-digit home run totals, plus one of six to reach the 50-RBI plateau.

With the exception of North Carolina’s Chapel Hill Regional opener vs. Long Island University, Osuna hasn’t found that same production at the plate. He’s an ice-cold 2-for-22, with both hits in that span coming during the 6-2 Regional loss against reigning CWS champion LSU.

Osuna’s struggles continued into UNC’s College World Series opener against ACC rival Virginia on Friday, June 14, with strikeouts in each of his three plate appearances.

That’s why, with the Diamond Heels entering the bottom of the ninth and tied at two with UVA, head coach Scott Forbes opted for a pinch-hitter ahead of Osuna’s fourth at-bat.

That pinch-hitter was Jackson Van De Brake, North Carolina’s 2023 starting second baseman.

Van De Brake proceeded to deliver his most important hit of the season, a lead-off double on a 2-2 count, that eventually led to UNC’s game-winning run.

Van De Brake is a reserve this season, primarily due to the emergence of Division-III transfer Alex Madera.

With big moments like Friday’s, coupled with Osuna’s continued struggles, Van De Brake may have just opened the door to more playing time in Omaha.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Diamond Heels rack up 19 runs in last game before 6-day break

Can the Diamond Heels’ offense carry them to their first College World Series title?

The North Carolina Tar Heels sport one of college baseball’s best offenses, with their bats carrying them through a historic season.

UNC is mashing .307 as a team, which ranks 30th in the nation. Infielder Gavin Gallagher leads the charge with a .374 average, Vance Honeycutt’s 18 home runs make him one of four Diamond Heels in double-digits, while Casey Cook’s 60 RBIs lead nine players in double-digits.

North Carolina had a midweek game against William and Mary on Wednesday, May 1.

If you haven’t guessed it by the way this story started, UNC’s offense carried them against the Tribe.

Jackson Van De Brake was one of three Diamond Heels to hit a home run on Wednesday, a fourth-inning grand slam that drove in North Carolina’s final four runs, as part of a 19-2 domination in seven innings before a 6-day break for exams.

UNC (35-11, 17-7) tied UVA atop the ACC with its 35th win, which is one off its 2023 total.

The Diamond Heels started their offensive barrage with a 9-run first inning, which started with a 3-run round-tripper from Georgia transfer Parks Harber. Coincidentally, Harber drove in Casey Cook for North Carolina’s ninth and final run of the opening frame.

Gallagher brought Alex Madera across home plate with his second-inning single, making it 10-0, then UNC extended its advantage to 15 in the third inning with a Honeycutt home run, Cook scoring on a wild pitch, Luke Stevenson walking and Colby Wilkerson doubling to left field.

The Diamond Heels’ pitching staff deserves a lot of credit for the victory, too, as starter Ben Peterson struck out five batters – and allowed just three hits – in five innings. William and Mary’s only two runs came in garbage time, on a seventh-inning single from center fielder Ben Parker.

North Carolina does not play again until Tuesday, May 7 against Campbell, which kicks off its final homestand of the season. UNC scored four ninth-inning runs to down the Camels (27-16, 8-10 CAA), 7-3, back on March 5 in Buies Creek.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Mac Horvath and Jackson Van De Brake named to second-team All-ACC

North Carolina Tar Heels Mac Horvath and Jackson Van De Brake were named to second-team All-ACC.

North Carolina Tar Heels Mac Horvath and Jackson Van De Brake have been selected to the All-ACC second team.

Horvath and Van De Brake have been pivotal for the Diamond Heels this year, becoming a force in the ACC. Horvath had a remarkable regular season, writing his name in the history books as the first Tar Heel with 19 RBIs in a four-game stretch. Horvath also became the second ACC player since 1999 to have 20 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and 20 doubles in a single season.

Van De Brake became one of the best second basemen in the ACC this season, finishing with a team-high 68 hits, leading all second basemen in the conference.

The pair joins ACC’s defensive player of the Year Vance Honeycutt as Tar Heels to crack one of the three All-ACC teams. It’s no secret they will be counted on as they look to bring the ACC championship back to Chapel Hill for the second year.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Follow all of your favorite Carolina teams at Tar Heels Wire and Panthers Wire!