By R.L. Bynum

After an impressive performance against No. 11-ranked Virginia last week in the ACC tournament, junior right-hander Jake Knapp will start in Carolina’s NCAA tournament opener on Friday.

The Tar Heels (35–22), the No. 3 seed in the Terre Haute Regional, face No. 2-seed Iowa (42–14) at Bob Warn Field at 7 p.m. Friday (ACC Network), with Iowa starting sophomore right-hander Marcus Morgan (4–2, 3.88 ERA).

In the opener of the double-elimination event at 1 p.m. Friday, host Indiana State (42–15), No. 23-ranked and No. 1 region seed, takes on No. 4-seed Wright State (39–21).

Knapp (5–3, 4.79 ERA) has given up two runs or fewer in five of his last six outings, including when he gave up five hits and two runs (one earned) with a walk and five strikeouts in the 10–2 victory May 25 against the No. 11-ranked Cavaliers. He’s tied for the ACC lead with 15 starts.

Morgan has given up two or fewer runs in nine of his last 10 outings, including pitching six hitless shutout innings on May 12 against Michigan State and six three-hit shutout innings on April 22 against Penn State. Morgan, named second-team All-Big Ten, is fifth in the country in hits allowed per nine innings at 5.37.

Although Morgan is a formidable pitcher, Carolina may have gotten a bit of a break in not facing first-team All-Big Ten fireballer Brody Brecht (5–2, 3.86 ERA). The sophomore right-hander threw pitches at least 100 mph 31 times this season (when Trackman data was available). He has 101 strikeouts and only 57 walks in 70 innings. Brecht leads the country in hits per nine innings at 4.5.

Junior right-hander Max Carlson (4–2, 5.97 ERA) will be the probable starter for Saturday’s game against either Indiana State or Wright State. If UNC loses Friday, that would be a noon elimination game; if UNC wins Friday, it would be a 6 p.m. contest.

Carolina sophomore center fielder Vance Honeycutt, still recovering from a lower-back issue, won’t play, likely putting junior Mac Horvath in center field, junior Patrick Alvarez in left field, redshirt freshman Casey Cook in right field and junior Johnny Castagnozzi at third base.

NOTES — This is the eighth time UNC has played a regional on the road since the field expanded to 64 in 1999. The Tar Heels only advanced when they won the 2003 Starkville Regional. … UNC’s 35th NCAA tournament appearance is its sixth in a row, the longest streak of any ACC team (Miami 4, Virginia 3, Wake Forest 2). … Carolina has advanced to a Super Regional in seven of its last 14 NCAA tournament appearances. … UNC and Iowa have played twice, with the No. 1-seed Tar Heels winning 5–3 in the 1990 NCAA Northeast Regional in Waterbury, Conn., and the Hawkeyes winning 5–4 in Minneapolis, Minn., on Feb. 29, 2020, at the Cambria Classic in the Minnesota Vikings’ stadium. … Carolina has 12 wins against NCAA tournament teams, coming against Charlotte (2), Duke (2), East Carolina, Miami (1), N.C. State (3), Virginia (2) and UNCW. … Carolina is 56th in the country in home runs with 83, and is 30–13 when it hits a home run and 5–9 when it doesn’t. … This is Iowa’s sixth regional appearance and third under Coach Rick Heller.