By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — Carolina fans may never see another Tar Heel quite like sensational center fielder Vance Honeycutt, and that appreciation came through with loud cheers when he was recognized between innings as the program’s all-time home run leader.
After leadoff home runs in his first two at-bats, he tipped his cap to the Boshamer Stadium crowd as he stood alone in center field and UNC history. The only player with at least 50 homers and 70 steals in ACC history had plenty of powerful company as Carolina blasted seven home runs in a 14–4 romp Friday over Louisville.
It ended in the 7th inning under the 10-run rule on Colby Wilkerson’s bases-loaded one-out RBI single.
“It was special,” said Honeycutt, who has home runs in four straight games. “From a little kid who always wanted to come here, get opportunities to be able to play and accomplish some things along the way, it was really cool.”
(Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics by Ainsley Fauth)
No. 11 North Carolina (37–11, 18–7 ACC), which has a one-game lead over No. 2 Clemson (37–11, 17–8) for the best record in the ACC and leads the Coastal Division by four games, has 70 home runs in the last 28 games.
Honeycutt’s 58th career homer came in his 161st game, 45 fewer than Devy Bell (1984–87) needed to hit 57 from 1984 to 1987. It was his sixth career multi-homer game, which ties him with Mac Horvath (2021–23) and Cookie Massey (1993–94) for second-most in program history behind Chris Maples’ seven (2001–02).
Honeycutt said he wasn’t even thinking about the record until about a week ago when someone told him about it. But he thought Friday might be the day he set the record.
“They kind of come in stretches, so I thought maybe there could be a chance,” Honeycutt said.
After the game, UNC coach Scott Forbes gave Honeycutt the record-breaking home-run ball and joked that he’d hit a lot more because he has one more year left at North Carolina.
That, of course, won’t happen. The junior will be a high pick in the pro baseball draft in June. But Forbes is happy to have had such a versatile player for three seasons, calling him a special person.
“I enjoy being around him, watching him,” said Forbes, adding that he’s never talked about the record with Honeycutt. “He’s been like that since the day he walked in here in summer school as far as his character, how he carries himself.”
With 21 home runs this season, Honeycutt is tied for the ACC lead with Georgia Tech center fielder Drew Burress. With his 391-foot first-inning shot to right-center off a fastball and his blast off the netting behind the left-field wall in the third off a changeup, he’s four away from his career-high of 25 he hit as a freshman.
Designated hitter Alberto Osuna swatted a pair of homers, drove in five, and took sole possession of fifth place on the UNC career lead with 44. He had been tied at 42 with Chad Flack (2005–08) and is now three homers from catching Horvath.
“It’s been unbelievable,” Osuna said of playing with Honeycutt and watching him every game. “I said at the beginning of the year and I’ll keep saying that he’s the best player I think I’ll ever see. Being able to be in the same BP group as him all three years and just being in the same lineup as him is a true honor for me.
“It’s just unbelievable how good of a player he is, but he’s a better person,” Osuna said. “As y’all can see, he’s humble, and he’ll never showboat or anything. Just a great guy.”
Honeycutt’s third-inning blast was the first of four UNC homers in the inning. The Heels got two-run shots from Parks Harber and Osuna and a solo homer from Gavin Gallaher.
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Right fielder Anthony Donofrio belted a two-run homer in the eighth inning to equal UNC’s season-high with seven home runs, which the Heels also hit at Miami.
“It just shows our offensive is so dynamic,” Osuna said. ” Not only are we hitting home runs, we can steal bases whenever. We can move guys and can score however we want.”
Louisville starting pitcher Sebastian Gongora (loser, 5–4) had given up only seven home runs in 63⅓ innings coming into the game but gave up five in three innings against Carolina.
In his first action in 14 days, UNC starter Jason DeCaro (winner, 4–1) battled but struggled to find his rhythm.
DeCaro, who gave up five hits, three runs and four walks with three strikeouts in five innings, escaped a bases-loaded, one-out first-inning jam by eliciting a pair of flyouts to left field. In the second inning, Louisville scored twice, on a bases-loaded walk and a double play. He settled down after that, retiring seven in a row before giving up a solo homer to Alex Alicea in the fourth inning.
“Credit to him making big pitches in big situations because we were about to have to make a move there,” Forbes said. “The fact that he still went five innings, that’s impressive. That tells you how good that kid [is], how tough he is.”
UNC catcher Luke Stevenson’s third-inning drive went off the glove of center fielder Eddie King Jr. and bounced off the top of the wall before falling in play. After a lengthy replay review, the umpire said the original ruling of a double would stand.
Reliever Matthew Matthijs gave up three hits, one walk and struck out one before coming out after 2⅔ innings after giving up an RBI single to JT Benson in the eighth inning for Louisville (29–20, 13–12).
Dalton Pence got a strikeout for UNC to get out of the seventh inning.
NOTES — The series continues at noon Saturday (ESPN3) with junior left-hander Shea Sprague (3–1, 3.40 ERA) starting for UNC against Louisville senior left-hander Evan Webster (4-1, 3.17 ERA). In Sunday’s noon series finale (ACC Network), UNC junior right-hander Aidan Haugh (3–1, 3.29 ERA) will oppose Cardinals freshman left-hander Colton Hartman (0–1, 5.09 ERA). … It was UNC’s third 10-run-rule victory in four games after beating Charlotte 13–1 on April 30 and William & Mary16–10 on May 1. … Louisville (100) and Carolina (76) rank first and second in steals in the ACC. … UNC has patches on their jerseys in memory of J.R. Anton, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 31 after battling Hunter Syndrome. Anton became a good friend of the program during the Heels’ trip to the 2006 College World Series. … UNC had only one leadoff home run before Friday, that coming from Donofrio against Notre Dame on March 14. … The third inning was Carolina’s ninth inning this season with at least six runs, with a high of 11 in the first inning against Princeton on March 1. … UNC, which is 30–2 at home and has won 34 of its last 36 home games, leads the all-time series with Louisville 10–7, including 7–2 in Chapel Hill.
No. 11 UNC 14, Louisville 4, 7 innings (10-run rule)
ACC standings
| League | GB | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 3 Georgia Tech | 25–5 | — | 45–9 |
| No. 2 North Carolina | 22–8 | 3 | 43–10–1 |
| No. 11 Florida State | 19–11 | 6 | 38–15 |
| No. 23 Boston College | 17–13 | 8 | 36–20 |
| Wake Forest | 16–14 | 9 | 38–18 |
| Miami | 16–14 | 9 | 36–17 |
| Virginia Tech | 15–15 | 10 | 29–23 |
| Virginia | 14–16 | 11 | 35–20 |
| N.C. State | 14–16 | 11 | 32–21 |
| Stanford | 13–17 | 12 | 27–25 |
| Notre Dame | 13–17 | 12 | 30–21 |
| Louisville | 13–17 | 12 | 30–26 |
| California | 12–18 | 13 | 29–25 |
| Pittsburgh | 11–19 | 14 | 30–23 |
| Clemson | 10–20 | 15 | 31–25 |
| Duke | 10–20 | 15 | 24–29 |
Thursday-Saturday series
Notre Dame at Pittsburgh — Pitt, 6–3; ND, 6–4; ND, 21–10 (7)
Virginia at Louisville — Va., 8–3; UL, 12–2; UL, 10–5
Miami at No. 11 Florida State — FSU, 7–6 (11); FSU, 11–1; Miami, 7–4
Wake Forest at Duke — WF, 7–2; WF, 7–2; Duke, 7–3
Clemson at Virginia Tech — VT, 5–1; VT, 2–1; Clemson, 10–7
No. 3 Georgia Tech at No. 23 Boston College — GT swept 9–0, 14–1, 15–2 (7)
No. 2 North Carolina at N.C. State — UNC, 9–4; UNC, 17–7 (8); State, 7–2
Stanford at California — Stanford, 7–6; Cal, 4–3; Cal, 2–1
End of regular season
ACC tournament
Tuesday through May 24
Truist Field in Charlotte
UNC career home run leaders
| Player | Seasons | Games | Homers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vance Honeycutt | 2022–24 | 176 | 65 |
| Devy Bell | 1984–87 | 205 | 57 |
| Chris Cox | 1990–93 | 192 | 49 |
| Mac Horvath | 2021–23 | 160 | 47 |
| Alberto Osuna | 2022–24 | 176 | 45 |
| Chad Flack | 2005–08 | 267 | 42 |
| Sean Farrell | 2000–03 | 240 | 40 |
| Jarrett Shearin | 1996–99 | 241 | 40 |
| Cookie Massey | 1993–94 | 108 | 40 |
| Date(s) | Day/ month | Times/ scores | Opponent (current rank) | Record/ TV * |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February | ||||
| 13–14 | Fri., Sat. | W, 9–4; W, 12–2 (7); W, 4–3 (11) | vs. Indiana | 3–0 |
| 17 | Tuesday | W, 10–0 (7) | vs. Richmond | 4–0 |
| 18 | Wednesday | W, 5–3 | vs. Longwood | 5–0 |
| 20–22 | Fri.-Sun | W, 10–0 (8); L, 10–3; T, 3–3 | vs. East Carolina | 6–1–1 |
| 24 | Tuesday | W, 9–1 | vs. N.C. A&T | 7–1–1 |
| 25 | Wednesday | W, 13–3 (7) | vs. VCU | 8–1–1 |
| 27–28 | Fri., Sat. | W, 16–3 (7); W, 12–2 (7) | vs. Le Moyne | 10–1–1 |
| March | ||||
| 1 | Sunday | W, 21–1 (7) | vs. Le Moyne | 11–1–1 |
| 3 | Tuesday | W, 5–1 | vs. Elon | 12–1–1 |
| 6–7 | Fri., Sat | L, 13–3 (7); L, 9–2; W, 8–7 (12) | vs. Virginia | 13–3–1, 1–2 ACC |
| 10 | Tuesday | W, 13–3 (7) | vs. Bucknell | 14–3–1 |
| 13–15 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 8–1; W, 6–2; W, 10–2 | at California | 17–3–1, 4–2 |
| 18 | Wednesday | W, 8–2 | vs. UNCG | 18–3–1 |
| 20–22 | Fri.–Sun. | W, 11–1 (8); L, 2–0; W, 7–6 | vs. Louisville | 20–4–1, 6–3 |
| 24 | Tuesday | W, 9–1 | vs. South Carolina in Charlotte | 21–4–1 |
| 28, 29 | Sat., Sun | W, 6–5; W, 13–7; W, 15–10 | at Notre Dame | 24–4–1, 9–3 |
| 31 | Tuesday | W, 5–4 (14) | vs. Campbell | 25–4–1 |
| April | ||||
| 2–4 | Thur.-Sat. | L, 6–1; W, 5–2; W, 8–7 | vs. Boston College | 27–5–1, 11–4 |
| 7 | Tuesday | W, 8–4 | vs. Charlotte | 28–5–1 |
| 10–12 | Fri.–Sun. | L, 9–5; W, 6–4 (14); W, 12–5 | at Clemson | 30–6–1, 13–5 |
| 14 | Tuesday | W, 14–5 | vs. UNCW | 31–6–1 |
| 17–19 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 5–2; W, 14–4 (8); L, 5–2 | vs. No. 2 Georgia Tech | 33–7–1, 15–6 |
| 21 | Tuesday | W, 9–2 | vs. High Point | 34–7–1 |
| 23–25 | Thur.–Sat. | W, 3–1; L, 3–1; W, 22–5 (7) | at Duke | 36–8–1, 17–7 |
| 28 | Tuesday | L, 12–2 | vs. Coastal Carolina | 36–9–1 |
| May | ||||
| 3 | Sunday | W, 13–0 (7) (non-conference game) | vs. Duke | 37–9–1 |
| 8–10 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 4–1; W, 12–2 (8); W, 7–3 | vs. Pittsburgh | 40–9–1, 20–7 |
| 12 | Tuesday | W, 13–7 | at UNCW | 41–9–1 |
| 14–16 | Thur.-Sat. | W, 9–4; W, 17–7 (8); L, 7–2 | at N.C. State | 43–10–1, 22–8 |
| ACC tournament | Charlotte | |||
| 22 | Friday | W, 10–4 | Quarterfinal vs. Virginia Tech | 44–10–1 |
| 23 | Saturday | W, 13–5 | Semifinal vs. Pittsburgh | 45–10–1 |
| 24 | Sunday | L, 13–6 | Championship vs. No. 2 Ga. Tech | 45–11–1 |
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| Chapel Hill Regional | ||||
| 29 | Friday | W, 8–0 | VCU | 46–11–1 |
| 30–31 | Sat.–Sun. | W, 7–5, W, 9–3 | East Carolina | 48–11–1 |
| June | ||||
| Chapel Hill Super Regionals | ||||
| 5–7 | Fri.–Sun. | L, 9–5, W, 4–0, W, 4–3 | Southern Cal | 50–12–1 |
| College World Series | Omaha, Neb. | |||
| 12 | Friday | 7:06 p.m. | No. 18 Ole Miss | ESPN |
| 14 | Sunday | 2:06 p.m. (with loss) or 7:06 p.m. (with win) | Troy or West Virginia | ESPN |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics by Ainsley Fauth
