By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — As North Carolina’s baseball season has progressed through tough one-run losses and big wins, it’s clear that the Tar Heels are at a different level when, as Coach Scott Forbes says, they play with a chip on their shoulders.
Junior third baseman Mac Horvath has talked about the need for UNC to play with a purpose and not be joking around after a defeat as if losing is acceptable, telling the team that in a players-only meeting last month.
Finding that mentality this weekend when the Tar Heels (30–17, 11–11 ACC) play host to N.C. State (31–15, 10–13) for a three-game series starting at 7 p.m. Thursday (ESPN3) probably won’t be a problem, with the 7 p.m. Friday game (ACC Network) and 2 p.m. Saturday contest (ESPN3) both sold out.
But Carolina will need it consistently to make the sort of post-exam-break run it put together last season. It emerged Tuesday after another provocation from an opponent.
The Tar Heels trailed a Gardner-Webb team that had lost six in a row before Bulldogs pitcher Grant Vega yelled expletives at UNC second baseman Jackson Van Brake after striking him out to end the seventh inning.
That cleared the dugouts and bullpens, which Forbes doesn’t want to see. But it also ratcheted up the Tar Heels’ intensity level, and they rallied from behind to win 5–4.
“I just told them after the game. We have to start every game the rest of the year like somebody just did the same thing,” Forbes said. “And that’s how we have to play. They get it, and they understand it, and you’ll see that.”
As the momentum swings in games, Forbes wants his players to maintain their intensity.
“You want to be ready to fight and to match whatever we’re facing,” Forbes said. “They need that chip. … I don’t want to say I’m glad it happened. But it doesn’t bother me to see the guys react the right way.”
N.C. State (31–15, 10–13 ACC) at UNC (30–17, 11–11)
At Boshamer Stadium (Friday and Saturday games are sold out)
7 p.m. Thursday, ESPN3 — N.C. State right-hander Logan Whitaker (3–3, 4.81 ERA) vs. UNC right-hander Connor Bovair (4–2, 4.11 ERA)
7 p.m. Friday, ACC Network — N.C. State right-hander Matt Willadsen (5–3, 2.74 ERA) vs. UNC pitcher to be announced
2 p.m. Saturday, ESPN3 — N.C. State pitcher to be announced vs. UNC right-hander Jake Knapp (3–3, 5.01 ERA)
Horvath, who joined sophomore center fielder Vance Honeycutt as the only players in program history with at least 20 home runs and at least 20 steals in a season (20 homers and an ACC-leading 21 steals), says he’s seen the mindset shift that he badly wanted when he called that April 23 meeting.
In addition to UNC’s response on Tuesday, Horvath noted how the Tar Heels played on April 29 when Virginia Tech designated hitter Carson DeMartini yelled profanities at the Carolina dugout after hitting a home run.
“I think it’s changed quite a bit because, honestly, if we were in the same boat — like not caring — we probably don’t do anything about the situation at VT and the situation [Tuesday],” Horvath said.
The Tar Heels have run with that attitude adjustment, finally winning two consecutive one-run games after losing six of their first eight. A week earlier, UNC won 2–1 at No. 14 East Carolina after sweeping the doubleheader with the Hokies.
“Obviously, winning helps build our confidence. But winning tough games also helps,” Horvath said. “That’s two one-run games and two tough games in an environment like VT, and also at ECU. So, I think all of those things combined kind of help build our confidence.”
Besides getting three hits in that win at ECU, UNC’s offense has been pretty consistent. It’s the pitching that has been up and down.
Early in the season, the bullpen was wasting good starts. There have been long stretches when starters didn’t pitch well, and their short outings taxed the bullpen that was making strides.
Junior right-hander Connor Bovair, who starts Thursday against the Pack, has solidified the starting rotation and taken over as UNC’s No. 1 starter, with junior right-hander Jake Knapp, who will start Saturday, looking solid as the No. 2 starter.
When the relievers aren’t overworked, they’ve been better, with junior right-hander Matt Poston (four saves; one earned run allowed in the last 18⅓ innings with 20 strikeouts and nine walks) and fifth-year right-hander Kevin Eaise (five saves) dependable on the back end. Sophomore left-hander Dalton Pence and junior right-hander Ben Peterson have been effective bullpen options.
In addition, junior right-hander Max Carlson, the former No. 1 starter, has been impressive out of the bullpen. He rebounded from a bad outing at Virginia Tech with three shutout, hitless innings with two strikeouts at East Carolina. Forbes hinted that you could still see him start games.
UNC, which gave up four solo home runs against Gardner-Webb, must limit opponent long balls that have been damaging many times this season. Carolina pitching has given up 67 homers, the second-most in the ACC.
The staff can depend on the defense when pitching to contact, as Carolina has played four consecutive error-free games, with only two errors in the last nine games.
“It still all starts and ends on the mound and defensively,” Forbes said. “You can’t really hit your way to Omaha. Sometimes you’ve got to find a way to win a game like we did in the regionals last year when we were in that losers’ bracket.”
The series against State is an excellent chance for the Tar Heels to improve their RPI, which stands at 32nd, against the Wolfpack, which is 20th in the RPI. Carolina is only 5–13 against Top 25 RPI teams but 25–4 against all other teams.
D1 Baseball’s latest NCAA tournament projection has UNC as the No. 2 seed in the Columbia, S.C., region, with South Carolina as the host, Iowa as the No. 3 seed and Maine as the No. 4 seed. The Wolfpack is listed as the last team out.
Baseball America projects Carolina as the No. 3 seed in the Conway, S.C., regional with host Coastal Carolina, No. 2-seed Arizona State and No. 4-seed Fairfield and also doesn’t have N.C. State in the field.
College Sports Madness also projects the Tar Heels for Columbia, but with Southern Cal and Penn. CSM as N.C. State in the Conway regional with host Coastal Carolina, Texas A&M and Central Connecticut State.
NOTES — Carolina, which leads the all-time series 56–53, won three of four meetings last season against N.C. State, including a 9–5 victory on May 29 at the ACC championship game in Charlotte. … Opposing Bovair (4–2, 4.11 ERA) on Thursday will be Pack redshirt junior right-hander Logan Whitaker (3–3, 4.81 ERA), with State junior right-hander Matt Willadsen (5–3, 2.74 ERA) pitching Friday and UNC’s starter to be announced. Knapp’s opposition Saturday hasn’t been announced … This will be the first time the teams have met without attendance restrictions in Chapel Hill since 2019. … Neither team has named a third starter for the series. … N.C. State swept the last three-game series in Chapel Hill in 2021 by a combined score of 23–6 and won two of three in 2019. … Forbes hasn’t named a starter for Saturday’s series finale. … Redshirt freshman right fielder Casey Cook, who has reached base in 36 consecutive games, leads the team with a .402 batting average in ACC games. … Sophomore center fielder Vance Honeycutt, who as reached base in a career-high 32 consecutive games, leads the ACC with 49 walks, and UNC is third in the league with 275. … Horvath’s 20 home runs are second only in the ACC to the 21 from Wake Forest’s Brock Wilken.
UNC vs. N.C. State since 2000
| Date | Location | Score |
|---|---|---|
| May 29, 2022 | Charlotte | UNC 9, N.C. State 5 (ACC championship) |
| May 8, 2022 | Raleigh | UNC 7, N.C. State 6 |
| May 8, 2022 | Raleigh | N.C. State 9, UNC 2 |
| May 6, 2022 | Raleigh | UNC 8, N.C. State 7 |
| May 28, 2021 | Charlotte | UNC 9, N.C. State 6 (ACC tournament) |
| March 29, 2021 | Chapel Hill | N.C. State 8, UNC 3 |
| March 29, 2021 | Chapel Hill | N.C. State 6, UNC 1 |
| March 26, 2021 | Chapel Hill | N.C. State 9, UNC 2 |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics Communications
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