By R.L. Bynum
CHARLOTTE — A lower-back injury forced center fielder Vance Honeycutt to miss the last 10 games last season, making his absence from No. 7-ranked North Carolina’s lineup on Thursday with back spasms alarming.
But UNC is hopeful that Honeycutt can play this weekend after he missed the Tar Heels’ 12–2 win in their ACC tournament opener against Pittsburgh at Truist Field, a game that meant nothing in their pursuit of an ACC title. The Tar Heels play No. 22-ranked Wake Forest at 7 p.m. Friday for a semifinal berth.
“He probably could have gone, honestly,” UNC coach Scott Forbes said. “But we knew that this game wouldn’t advance us to Saturday. And he warmed up and I think he was 95%. It’s hard for me to play Vance in that game. It was more my call than Vance’s. He wasn’t real happy with it.”
Honeycutt, a junior who won ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors for a second consecutive season, led the conference in runs (75), was second in home runs (22) and stolen bases (28) and produced the second 20-20 season of his career while hitting .319. He ranks fourth all-time in the ACC in home runs with 59, the most in Carolina history.
With Honeycutt out of the lineup, Anthony Donofrio — usually a right fielder — took over the leadoff spot for him and the center field spot he usually plays. In his first game leading off since the last of 12 consecutive games on April 27 at home against Virginia Tech, he hit the first of three consecutive home runs.
Usual third baseman Gavin Gallaher got his first college start in left field, and Jackson Van De Brake started at third base. Van De Brake started the season’s first six games at third base, but Thursday was his first start since Feb. 24.
Photo courtesy of the ACC by Nell Redmond
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