By R.L. Bynum
After North Carolina’s run to the College World Series last season, the Tar Heels are No. 6 in the preseason D1 Baseball Top 25 poll. That equals UNC’s highest preseason ranking since the poll began in 2015 after also being No. 6 in 2015 and 2018.
UNC, which finished 48–16 and had a final ranking of No. 5, is one of seven ACC teams in the poll in the fifth season under Coach Scott Forbes.
Virginia (46–17) is No. 2, Florida State (49–17) No. 9, Duke (40–20) No. 11, N.C. State (38–23) No. 13, Wake Forest (38–22) No. 14 and Clemson (44–16) No. 15.
National runner-up Texas A&M (53–15) is No. 1, with LSU (45–23) No. 3, reigning national champion Tennessee (60–13) No. 4 and Arkansas (44–16) No. 5.
Carolina opens its season with a three-game series against Texas Tech, starting at 4 p.m. on Feb. 14 at Boshamer Stadium.
Carolina must replace its entire outfield of left fielder Casey Cook, center fielder Vance Honeycutt and right fielder Anthony Donofrio, but brought in two talented transfers in former Liberty outfielder Kane Kepley and former North Carolina Wesleyan star slugger Tyler Bass.
Infielder Jackson Van De Brake is back after the NCAA granted him another year of eligibility, as well as catcher Luke Stevenson, third baseman Gavin Gallagher and second baseman Alex Madera.
UNC’s pitching will be solid despite losing starter Shea Sprague and closer Dalton Pence. Right-hander Jake Knapp is back after missing last season because of injury, as well as sophomores Jason DeCaro and Folger Boaz.
D1 Baseball Top 25
UNC schedule
| Date(s) | Day/ month | Times | Opponent (current rank) |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | |||
| 13–15 | Fri.-Sat. | 4, noon, 1 | vs. Indiana |
| 17 | Tuesday | 4 p.m. | vs. Richmond |
| 18 | Wednesday | 4 p.m. | vs. Longwood |
| 20–22 | Fri.-Sun. | 4 (Greenville; ESPN+), 2 (DBAP), 2 (CH) | vs. East Carolina |
| 24 | Tuesday | 4 p.m. | vs. N.C. A&T |
| 25 | Wednesday | 4 p.m. | vs. VCU |
| 27–28 | Fri., Sat. | 4 p.m., 2 p.m. | vs. Le Moyne |
| March | |||
| 1 | Sunday | 1 p.m. | vs. Le Moyne |
| 3 | Tuesday | 4 p.m. | vs. Elon |
| 6–8 | Fri.-Sun. | 4, 2, 1 | vs. Virginia |
| 10 | Tuesday | 4 p.m. | vs. Bucknell |
| 13–15 | Fri.-Sun. | 9, 5, 4 | at California |
| 18 | Wednesday | 4 p.m. | vs. UNCG |
| 20–22 | Fri.-Sun. | 8, 2, 1 Friday on ACCN | vs. No. 8 Louisville |
| 24 | Tuesday | 6:30 | vs. South Carolina in Charlotte |
| 27–29 | Fri.-Sun. | 6:30, 3, 1 | at Notre Dame |
| 31 | Tuesday | 8 p.m., ACCN | vs. Campbell |
| April | |||
| 2–4 | Thur.-Sat. | 6, 6, 2 | vs. Boston College |
| 7 | Tuesday | 7 p.m., ACCN | vs. Charlotte |
| 10–12 | Fri.-Sun. | 6, 2, 12:30 (Sunday on ACCN) | at No. 19 Clemson |
| 14 | Tuesday | 6 p.m. | vs. UNCW |
| 17–19 | Fri-Sun. | 6, noon, 1 (Saturday, Sunday on ACCN) | vs. No. 5 Georgia Tech |
| 21 | Tuesday | 6 p.m. | vs. High Point |
| 23–25 | Thu.-Sat. | 7, 6, 3 (Thursday on ACCN) | at Duke |
| 28 | Tuesday | 7 p.m., ACCN | vs. No. 6 Coastal Carolina |
| 29 | Wednesday | 6 p.m. | vs. Queens |
| May | |||
| 3 | Sunday | 2 p.m., ACCN (non-conference game) | vs. Duke |
| 6 | Wednesday | 6 p.m. | vs. Winthrop |
| 8–10 | Fri.-Sun. | 6, noon, 1 | vs. Pittsburgh |
| 12 | Tuesday | 6 p.m. | at UNCW |
| 14–16 | Thurs.-Sat. | 7, 6, 1 (Thursday on ACCN) | at No. 17 N.C. State |
| 19–24 | Tues.-Sun. | ACC tournament (ACCN, ESPN2 for final) | Charlotte |
| 29–31 | Fri.-Sun. | NCAA Regionals | Campus sites |
| June | |||
| 5–7 | Fri.-Sun. | NCAA Super Regionals | Campus sites |
| 12–22 | Fri.-Mon | College World Series | Omaha, Neb. |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
tarheeltribune.com 