Tag: Matt Poston

Super Regional standout Matt Poston talks about his journey to College World Series

Relief pitcher Matt Poston played a major role in UNC’s Game 1 Super Regional victory. How big of a role will he play in the College World Series?

Game 1 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional was going to give either UNC – or West Virginia – a major leg up en route to the College World Series.

Sure, there’s been plenty of comebacks over the years, but each game is extra crucial when a series is just best of three.

The visiting Mountaineers took a 6-4 lead in the sixth inning of Game 1, while ace Derek Clark dominated the Diamond Heels on the mound. North Carolina would need its hitters to come up with some late-inning magic of their own, while pitching would have to shut down West Virginia’s hot bats.

Vance Honeycutt vaulted North Carolina into Game 2 with a 1-game lead, blasting a ninth-inning, walk-off home run and sending Boshamer Stadium into a frenzy.

UNC needed one of its pitchers to step up after Shea Sprague, Matthew Matthijs and Ben Peterson struggled on the mound.

Try Matt Poston, who struggled in Game 1 of the Chapel Hill Regional against Long Island University.

Poston delivered his best outing of the year, working out of a jam and striking out four Mountaineers in three perfect innings.

Now, Poston and his Diamond Heels teammates will be heading to Omaha. It’s a moment Poston dreamed about since he grew up watching it.

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“My favorite memory growing up was probably the first year my dad got to be my baseball coach,” Poston said. “I thought it was just the coolest thing ever – my dad was in charge of coaching me and making me and my friends better. Growing up, we definitely watched the College World Series all the time. I always thought it’d be cool to play there – now being to to actually play there is really cool.”

North Carolina opens up its College World Series run on Friday, June 14 at 2 p.m. ET against an ACC rival – the University of Virginia. The Cavaliers won two of three over Easter Weekend, but UNC salvaged the final game by scoring 12 runs.

If Poston can pitch like he did in the Super Regional, the Diamond Heels can go a long way. I’m excited for their journey.

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Matt Poston’s perfection plays a major role in UNC’s Game 1 Chapel Hill Super Regional win

Matt Poston played arguably the largest role in helping UNC win Game 1 of its own Super Regional Friday night.

UNC relief pitcher Matt Poston deserves his flowers for North Carolina’s come-from-behind, 8-6 victory over West Virginia Friday night in Game 1 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional.

After Ben Peterson hit both Mountaineer batters to open the seventh inning, Poston came on in relief. West Virginia carried a 6-4 lead and was threatening to break the game open. Kyle West was already enjoying a career night for the Mountaineers, which included two of his team’s three home runs, so there wasn’t a lot of optimism in Chapel Hill.

What Poston did next was simply amazing.

Exactly a week after struggling in relief against Long Island University during the Chapel Hill Regional, Poston pitched three perfect innings and struck out four Mountaineers, nabbing his fifth win of the year.

Not only did Poston save a rough inning from Peterson, but a rough start from Diamond Heels pitchers in general.

Game 1 starter Shea Sprague appeared to be cruising through the West Virginia lineup, striking out six batters, but he gave up four runs on seven hits in five innings.

UNC wins leader Matthew Matthijs relieved Sprague and lasted an inning, but he gave up a home run to West.

In watching Poston’s postgame interview, you can tell he was relieved to have a bounce-back outing Friday.

Poston’s fifth victory tied him with freshman ace Jason DeCaro for second-most amongst North Carolina hurlers.

I imagine Poston does not pitch much tonight in Game 2, but if head coach Scott Forbes needs Poston, I’m sure he’ll be ready to go.

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Vance Honeycutt’s walk-off home run puts UNC one win away from College World Series

Vance Honeycutt is UNC’s best hitter. He delivered on Friday night to help North Carolina win Game 1 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional.

Vance Honeycutt said it best in his postgame interview – there was some major Bosh Magic during the Chapel Hill Super Regional opener on Friday night against West Virginia.

Just like Monday night against LSU, the Diamond Heels trailed by a run entering the ninth inning. Mountaineers ace Derek Clark, despite allowing a 4-spot to UNC in the third inning, was mowing down the North Carolina lineup.

Up stepped star Diamond Heels catcher Luke Stevenson, hoping to finally solve Clark.

Stevenson did exactly that, launching Clark’s first pitch in the bottom of the ninth over the center field fence – barely over the outstretched glove of Skylar King.

Three batters later, Honeycutt ended the night with a bomb of his own.

Facing a 3-1 count from Aidan Major, Honeycutt launched the baseball well over the left field wall for an 8-6, walk-off victory that put North Carolina one victory away from the College World Series.

 

Honeycutt’s blast was one of three on the night for UNC. Stevenson blasted the game-tying shot to start the ninth, but before that, Colby Wilkerson mashed his third home run of the season in the seventh inning.

Parks Harber gave the Diamond Heels a 3-1 lead in the third, grounding a 3-run single up the middle. Gallagher extended the UNC lead to 4-1 with a single shortly after.

Kyle West, who struggled big-time entering the Super Regional, tortured the North Carolina pitching with two home runs and a single.

It was the Diamond Heel pitching, specifically Matt Poston, that won out in the end. Poston, who struggled during the Regional Round, hurled three perfect innings with four strikeouts to end the game.

With a combination of clutch hitting and shutdown pitching, UNC is one win away from its first College World Series appearance since 2018.

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Two Tar Heel pitchers on Preseason Watch List

Dalton Pence and Matt Poston held down the UNC baseball team’s bullpen last year. They’re being recognized ahead of Opening Day.

Friday, Feb. 16 is a day that college baseball players have been dreaming of since the College World Series ended – Opening Day.

It’s the pinnacle of every player’s offseason work. They’ve spent countless hours in the weight room, throwing to teammates on the diamond and hitting in the cages.

The UNC baseball team will be hosting Wagner College for a 3-game weekend series, starting at 4 p.m. on Friday afternoon. This will be the Tar Heels’ inaugural matchups with the Seahawks, who haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2000.

Ahead of Game 1, North Carolina received some exciting news.

Pitchers Dalton Pence and Matt Poston, both expected to be huge parts of Diamond Heels’ pitching staff, were named to the NCWBA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List.

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Last year’s award winner was Oral Roberts pitcher Cade Denton, who became a sixth-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Texas State’s Tristan Stivors won in 2022, while former Arkansas closer Kevin Kopps won it in 2021.

“Stopper” in baseball is slang for a pitcher who comes in and stops the batting team’s momentum. He is also known as an innings eater, meaning he’ll pitch most of a game in relief of the starter.

Pence, entering his redshirt sophomore campaign, compiled a 4-3 win-loss record and 3.33 earned run average over 27 appearance last year. Denton, who led the Diamond Heels with 31 appearances (tied-fourth in the ACC), shared the team lead for five saves.

Will we see either reliever suit up tomorrow?

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