Tag: UNC vs. ECU

Friday night win over ECU puts Diamond Heels in exclusive club

The UNC baseball team beat ECU, 2-1 on Friday night, in front of a sold out Boshamer Stadium crowd. This was more than just any other win.

Boshamer Stadium was the place to be on Friday night if you’re a college baseball fan.

“The Bosh,” which UNC baseball fans more typically call it, was sold out for Game 1 of the now-annual UNC-ECU rivalry. There was some concern that rain earlier on Friday might further delay or cancel the already-pushed-back 5 p.m. ET first pitch, but Mother Nature was in a good mood.

Just like all three matchups last year, the Diamond Heels grabbed a lead first – this time on an Alex Madera double in the second inning. ECU tied things up three innings later on Jacob Jenkins-Cowart’s RBI double, only for Vance Honeycutt to give North Carolina the lead for good with his clutch, eighth-inning shot.

Matt Poston entered before the ninth and largely controlled the Pirates, striking out two while allowing just one walk for his first save. UNC took tonight’s edition, 2-1, winning its fifth-straight game to start the young campaign.

Not only did the Diamond Heels’ victory give them an early leg up in the rivalry series, but it also put them in an exclusive club – one of just eight college baseball programs to reach 3,000 wins.

North Carolina joins all-time wins leader Fordham University, Texas, Stanford, Michigan, Florida State, USC and Arizona State in the 3,000-win club

The Tar Heels have been the ACC’s most consistent program, despite not winning a College World Series. They’ve made the NCAA Tournament 35 times, appeared in the CWS 11 times and finished runner-up twice – both times to Oregon State.

Even though UNC will turn right back around and play ECU Saturday at 2 p.m. ET, I hope the Diamond Heels are able to celebrate a bit tonight.

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How did last year’s UNC-ECU baseball series pan out?

The UNC baseball team hosts ECU on Friday, Feb. 23 to begin a 3-game weekend series. This is a common, in-state rivalry matchup.

Despite no college baseball team from North Carolina winning the College World Series since 1955, the Tar Heel State has a plethora of talented programs who are regulars in the NCAA Tournament.

NC State came close to winning it in 2021, but lost in the semifinals.

The North Carolina Tar Heels might be its home state’s greatest program to never win a CWS title, despite reaching the CWS 11 times and the finals twice.

Another one of North Carolina’s top collegiate programs is East Carolina University, which has won the AAC (American Athletic Conference) regular-season title the past three years. ECU has reached the NCAA Tournament 33 times and won a regional on seven occasions, but has never reached the CWS.

If you haven’t guessed it already, the Diamond Heels and Pirates are facing off this weekend for a 3-game series. Game One will be Friday, Feb. 23 at 5 p.m. in Chapel Hill, Game Two will be Saturday in Fayetteville, NC and Game Three will be Sunday in Greenville.

These two baseball rivals have played every year since 2016, with the lone exception being the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign. Last year provided three exciting matchups, with each game being decided by one run.

Ahead of Friday’s highly-anticipated game, let’s quickly revisit last year’s matchups.

Diamond Heels sell out Friday afternoon bash against ECU

If you were planning on going to see Friday’s UNC-ECU baseball game, you’re out of luck. This game will be a great, early-season test.

At 4-0 after its first several games on the young campaign, the UNC baseball team is in a great position ahead of its weekend series with East Carolina.

North Carolina dominated Wagner College last weekend in its opening series, then needed a Vance Honeycutt grand slam and Dalton Pence shutdown inning to defeat Elon on Tuesday.

ECU (3-1), which is tied atop the AAC (American Athletic Conference) with Tulane, is coming off a Tuesday road loss at a pesky Campbell squad. ECU has made the past five NCAA Tournaments, winning its regional in 2021 and 2022, but has yet to advance to a College World Series.

On Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. ET, the Diamond Heels host the Pirates in an early-season game that will test how good each team truly is.

If you’re planning on making the trip to Boshamer Stadium – good luck.

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The field might be a little wet, as Chapel Hill is projected to have rain early Friday, but it should dry up by the re-scheduled 5 p.m. first pitch.

ECU took two of three games from UNC last year, with UNC winning the third and final matchup in Greenville on Wednesday, May 3. Outside of the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, the Diamond Heels and Pirates have played every season since 2016.

ECU fans travel well, while the Tar Heels love their baseball. It’s going to be an exciting atmosphere inside The Bosh Friday – if you’re not going, turn your TVs to the ACC Network.

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