By R.L. Bynum
Even though Scott Forbes took over the North Carolina baseball program facing the challenges of a pandemic, he continues to have success earlier than some UNC coaching legends.
Forbes is the third UNC baseball coach in program history to be the ACC Coach of the Year. On Monday, the league announced its postseason awards, including junior center fielder Vance Honeycutt repeating as Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player to win the award twice. Also Monday, Honeycutt was named one of 25 semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award.
Honeycutt is All-ACC First Team along with left fielder Casey Cook, while first baseman Parks Harber and pitchers Jason DeCaro and Shea Sprague are on the All-ACC Second Team. Catcher Luke Stevenson and pitchers Matthew Matthijs and Dalton Pence are on the All-ACC Third Team and DeCaro, Stevenson and third baseman Gavin Gallaher made the All-ACC Freshman Team.
Dean Smith, who had to rebuild the basketball program in the early 1960s, wasn’t the ACC Coach of the Year until his sixth season. Mack Brown didn’t garner the award until his ninth season, and legendary baseball coach Mike Fox didn’t earn it until his 20th season. It seems that it was an injustice that it took Fox that long to win the award, considering he led the Tar Heels to the College World Series for an seventh time in that 2018 season.
Forbes, who spent 19 seasons on Fox’s staff, credited his coaching staff.
“You surround yourself with the right people; it makes you look mighty good,” Forbes said. “Great coaches, great players make a head coach look good.”
Mike Roberts is the only other UNC baseball coach to have been named ACC Coach of the Year, and that was in 1989.
After finishing .500 in the league in his first three seasons, Forbes led the Tar Heels to a 22–8 regular-season record, and they are 41–12 heading into their ACC tournament opener at 3 p.m. Thursday against Pittsburgh at Charlotte’s Truist Field.
UNC won the Coastal Division and finished with the best record in the ACC. Smith didn’t do the latter until his sixth season, when he also won his first ACC tournament title, something Forbes accomplished in his second season in 2022. Fox’s Heels won the Coastal in the his eighth season, the first the ACC used divisions, but his best ACC regular-season season before that was third.
Florida State’s James Tibbs III is the Player of the Year, Wake Forest’s Chase Burns the Pitcher of the Year and Georgia Tech’s Drew Burress the Freshman of the Year.
Honeycutt, UNC’s all-time home run leader, led the ACC in runs (75) and was tied for second in homers (22) and steals (28) while saving numerous runs with his speed and amazing range in center field. A third-team selection in his first two seasons, Honeycutt has three of the top six longest UNC home runs this season, including a 454-foot shot against Virginia.
Cook, who made the All-Freshman team last season, posted career highs in every statistical category, including batting average (.340), hits (73), home runs (16), runs (61) and RBI (73). He finished the regular season ranked second in the ACC in RBI and seventh in runs.
Sprague walked the fewest batters per nine innings in the ACC (1.79) and had the third-highest strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.25) while compiling the 10th-lowest ERA (4.03). DeCaro ranks ninth in ERA (3.93), seventh in fewest hits allowed per nine innings (8.01) and sixth in opponent batting average (.236).
Harber, a transfer from Georgia, had career highs in batting average (.358), home runs (19), RBI (57) and leads the Tar Heels in OPS (1.135).
Matthijs is tied for the NCAA lead in victories with 12. He has made 30 appearances and pitched 47 innings with a 3.36 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Pence ranks fifth in the ACC with six saves and has struck out 55 batters in 40⅔ innings while holding opposing hitters to a .172 average.
Stevenson started 52 games at catcher, leading the Tar Heels with 39 walks. Stevenson hit 13 home runs and drove home 55 runs with a 1.015 OPS.
Gallaher is batting .351 in 42 games, with six home runs and 30 RBI.
Tibbs is the first Seminole to win Player of the Year since Mat Nelson in 2021 and the ninth FSU player to win the award. Tibbs helped lead the Seminoles to the last undefeated record in the country, beginning the season 19–0. The outfielder hit .385 in his 53 starts this season, tallying 77 hits, 17 doubles, 24 home runs and 78 RBI with seven steals. He led the ACC in home runs, RBI, slugging percentage (.840) and total bases (168).
Burns becomes the third straight Demon Deacon to earn Pitcher of the Year honors after Rhett Lowder won back-to-back awards in 2022 and 2023. Burns struck out 196, the fifth-most in ACC single-season history. The Wake Forest right-hander is 10–1, posting double-digit strikeouts in 11 of his 14 starts on the season.
Burress becomes the first Yellow Jacket to win Freshman of the Year since Matt Wieters in 2005. Burress joins Jason Varitek, Nomar Garciaparra, Mark Teixeira, Micah Owings and Wieters as the only players in Georgia Tech history to win the award. Burress hit .379 with 22 home runs, 14 doubles, two triples and 51 RBI. On Feb. 27, Burress went 4 for 4 with four home runs and six RBI against Georgia State.
ACC postseason awards
Player of the Year: James Tibbs III, OF, Florida State
Pitcher of the Year: Chase Burns, SP, Wake Forest
Freshman of the Year: Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
Defensive Player of the Year: Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
Coach of the Year: Scott Forbes, North Carolina
All-ACC Teams
First Team
Aidan Knaak, SP, Clemson*
Charlie Beilenson, RP, Duke
Ben Miller, 3B, Duke
Zac Morris, 2B, Duke
Jonathan Santucci, SP, Duke
Jamie Arnold, SP, Florida State
James Tibbs III, OF, Florida State
Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
Gage Ziehl, SP, Miami*
Casey Cook, OF, North Carolina*
Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
Jacob Cozart, C, NC State
Ethan Anderson, DH/UT, Virginia
Griff O’Ferrall, SS, Virginia
Chase Burns, SP, Wake Forest
Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
Second Team
Blake Wright, 2B, Clemson
Alex Stone, C, Duke*
Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State
Matthew Ellis, DH/UT, Georgia Tech
Payton Green, SS, Georgia Tech
Evan Webster, SP, Louisville
Daniel Cuvet, 3B, Miami*
Jason DeCaro, SP, North Carolina
Parks Harber, 1B, North Carolina
Shea Sprague, SP, North Carolina
Alex Makarewicz, 3B, NC State*
Phil Fox, RP, Pittsburgh
Harrison Didawick, OF, Virginia
Jacob Ference, C, Virginia
Casey Saucke, OF, Virginia
Ben Watson, OF, Virginia Tech
Third Team
John West, SP, Boston College*
Cam Cannarella, OF, Clemson
AJ Gracia, OF, Duke
Marco Dinges, DH/UT, Florida State
Jaime Ferrer, OF, Florida State
Gavin Kilen, SS, Louisville
Matthew Mattthijs, RP, North Carolina*
Dalton Pence, RP, North Carolina
Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina
Sam Highfill, SP, NC State
Garrett Pennington, 1B, NC State
Evan Blanco, SP, Virginia
Henry Godbout, 2B, Virginia
Chris Cannizzaro, OF, Virginia Tech
Brett Renfrow, SP, Virginia Tech
Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest*
Seaver King, 3B, Wake Forest
* — At-large selection
There were 17 players on the Third Team because of a tie
All-ACC Freshman Team
Aidan Knaak, SP, Clemson
AJ Gracia, OF, Duke
Kyle Johnson, OF/SP, Duke
Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
Zion Rose, C, Louisville
Daniel Cuvet, 3B, Miami
Jason DeCaro, SP, North Carolina
Gavin Gallaher, 3B, North Carolina
Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina
Jacob Dudan, RP, NC State
Eric Becker, INF, Virginia
Henry Ford, 1B, Virginia
ACC tournament
At Durham Bulls Athletic Park
Buy tickets at durhambulls.com or theacc.com/tickets
Tuesday’s first round
No. 16 California 12, No. 9 Miami 2, 8 innings
No. 12 Virginia Tech 7, No. 13 Stanford 4
No. 15 Pittsburgh 13, No. 10 Louisville 11
No. 14 Boston College 5, No. 11 Notre Dame 4, 10 innings
Wednesday’s second round
California 14, No. 8 seed Wake Forest 12
No. 5 Clemson 6, Virginia Tech 1
No. 7 Duke 4, Pittsburgh 3
Boston College 12, No. 6 Virginia 8
Quarterfinals
Thursday’s results
No. 1 seed Georgia Tech 10, California 3
Clemson 7, No. 4 seed N.C. State 6
Friday’s results
No. 2 seed Florida State 14, Duke 7
No. 3 seed North Carolina 7, Boston College 2
Saturday’s semifinals
Clemson 9, Georgia Tech 4
North Carolina 7, Florida State 5
Sunday’s championship
North Carolina 14, Clemson 4
UNC scores
| Date(s) | Day/ month | Scores | Opponent (current rank) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February | ||||
| 14–15 | Fri.-Sat. | W, 5–1; W, 8–3; W, 4–2 | vs. Texas Tech | 3–0 |
| 18 | Tuesday | W, 12–9 | vs. Kansas State | 4–0 |
| 22–24 | Sat.-Mon. | W, 2–0; W, 11–6; W, 6–4 | vs. East Carolina (DBAP, CH, G’ville) | 7–0 |
| 25 | Tuesday | W, 7–4 | vs. VCU | 8–0 |
| 26 | Wednesday | W, 13–4 | vs. N.C. A&T | 9–0 |
| 28 | Friday | W, 16–2 | vs. Stony Brook | 10–0 |
| March | ||||
| 1–2 | Sat.-Sun. | W, 6–1; W, 9–5 | vs. Stony Brook | 12–0 |
| 4 | Tuesday | W, 6–4 (11) | vs. No. 11 Coastal Carolina | 13–0 |
| 7–9 | Fri.-Sun. | L, 13–9; W, 11–1 (7); L, 7–0 | vs. Stanford | 14–2, 1–2 ACC |
| 11 | Tuesday | W, 7–3 (10) | at UNCW | 15–2 |
| 14, 16 | Fri., Sun. | L, 8–7; W, 6–4; L, 5–0 | at Louisville | 16–4, 2–4 |
| 19 | Wednesday | L, 5–1 | vs. UConn | 16–5 |
| 21–23 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 5–1; L, 3–2; W, 10–0 (7) | at Boston College | 18–6, 4–5 |
| 25 | Tuesday | W, 13–8 | vs. South Carolina in Charlotte | 19–7 |
| 28–30 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 2–0; W, 4–2; L, 4–2 | vs. Miami | 21–7, 6–6 |
| April | ||||
| 1 | Tuesday | W, 11–1 (7) | vs. Gardner-Webb | 22–7 |
| 3–5 | Thur.-Sat. | W, 4–3; L, 9–5; W, 8–7 (14) | vs. Duke | 24–8, 8–7 |
| 8 | Tuesday | W, 12–10 | at Elon | 25–8 |
| 11–13 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 11–1 (7); W, 17–1 (7); W, 3–2 | vs. Wake Forest | 28–8, 11–7 |
| 15 | Tuesday | W, 14–4 (8) | vs. Charlotte | 29–8 |
| 18–20 | Fri-Sun. | W, 9–6; L, 10–6: W, 7–5 | at Virginia Tech | 31–9, 13–8 |
| 25–27 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 15–5; L, 4–2; W, 6–0 | at Pittsburgh | 33–10, 15–9 |
| 29 | Tuesday | W, 13–4 | vs. George Mason | 34–10 |
| 30 | Wednesday | W, 14–3 | vs. Queens | 35–10 |
| May | ||||
| 6 | Tuesday | W, 10–1 | vs. Campbell | 36–10 |
| 8–9 | Thurs.-Fri. | W, 8–1; L, 8–5 | vs. N.C. State | 37–11, 16–10 |
| 15–17 | Thurs.-Sat. | W, 8–3; W, 11–1 (7); L, 5–4 | at No. 7 Florida State | 39–12, 18–11 |
| ACC tournament | Durham | |||
| 23 | Friday | Quarterfinal: W, 7–3 | Boston College | 40–12 |
| 24 | Saturday | Semifinal: W, 7–5 | No. 7 Florida State | 41–12 |
| 25 | Sunday | Final: W, 14–4 | No. 14 Clemson | 42–12 |
| Chapel Hill Regional | ||||
| 30 | Friday | W, 4–0 | Holy Cross | 43–12 |
| 31 | Saturday | W, 11–5 | Oklahoma | 44–12 |
| June | ||||
| 1 | Sunday | L, 9–5 | Oklahoma | 44–13 |
| 2 | Monday | W, 14–4 | Oklahoma | 45–13 |
| Chapel Hill Super Regional | Best-of-3 series | |||
| 6 | Friday | W, 18–2 | No. 21 Arizona | 46–13 |
| 7 | Saturday | L, 10–8 | No. 21 Arizona | 46–14 |
| 8 | Sunday | L, 4–3 | No. 21 Arizona | 46–15 |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
tarheeltribune.com 