Even though it fell short of a College World Series crown yet again, there’s no doubt the North Carolina Tar Heels made their impact in the 2024 college baseball season.
UNC finished as one of the ACC’s five 40-win teams, taking the ACC Coastal Division crown by finishing four games ahead of Virginia. North Carolina won its opening ACC Baseball Championship game against Pitt, before a loss against Wake Forest knocked it out.
The real fireworks began in the NCAA Tournament, though. The Diamond Heels trailed 4-seed Long Island University in the Chapel Hill Regional’s opening game, only for Gavin Gallaher to blast a walk-off grand slam.
Trailing by a run entering the ninth inning of the Chapel Hill Regional Final against reigning CWS champion LSU, UNC came back and won 4-3. Colby Wilkerson delivered the tying single, then Alex Madera the go-ahead base knock.
It wouldn’t be postseason heroics without superstar Vance Honeycutt, who smashed a walk-off home run against West Virginia, in Game 1 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional. This wouldn’t be Honeycutt’s only walk-off, as he later ended North Carolina’s CWS debut with a walk-off single.
With all the memorable moments in UNC’s season, including a 37-3 mark at Boshamer Stadium, it was only appropriate for the team to deliver a video tribute.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C9KxgHDgZw7/
The Diamond Heels felt like they were destined for a CWS title, but a lack of offense in Omaha contributed to their downfall. Pitching injuries also didn’t help, with projected starter Jake Knapp and initial Friday starter Folger Boaz out for the year, forcing a taxed bullpen at times.
I have no doubt that with minimal losses, outside of Honeycutt, Madera and Alberto Osuna, North Carolina will be amongst the 2025 CWS favorites.
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