By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — The “doctor” was patient while he waited his turn, but after walking on and being a reserve for his first 2½ seasons, Carter French became a key part of top-ranked North Carolina’s run to the ACC title and the Super Regionals.
A biology major who expects to go to medical school and says an orthopedic surgeon is one of his possible paths, French took over at left field in mid-April because of his excellent defense and has started there ever since.
The 6–2 junior, who Coach Scott Forbes and many of his teammates call “Doctor,” has also improved offensively since then, moving from the 8th spot in the batting order to keep the pressure on opposing pitchers.
“That nickname kind of developed this year just because of my goals and what I’m trying to do. It’s just banter — and guys calling me that — because I’m in the books a lot,” said French, who was the co-salutatorian of his class at Jesuit High School in Tampa, Fla., where he led his team to state titles in football and baseball his senior year.”
He’ll be on No. 21 Arizona’s scouting report as the Tar Heels open the best-of-three Chapel Hill Super Regional at 12:06 p.m. Friday (ESPN2) at Boshamer Stadium.
“It’s more amazing that he’s able to manage all that and do everything that he does,” Forbes said of French’s rigorous pre-med academic load. “First of all, he’s a really good player, so we’re lucky that he ended up coming to UNC and the old-school-type walk-on. He just worked his way into being an everyday player. “
While the pressure on the field has ramped up, he welcomes the break from the books.
“Right now it’s nice because we’re out of school and I just focus on baseball,” French said.
“During the year, it’s tough. It’s a lot on my plate, but I just try to manage the best I can and plan ahead. Some weeks are harder than others, but the coaching staff and the whole team here just do a great job of helping me out and adjusting when needed.”
There were plenty of adjustments for Forbes after he lost his entire outfield — Casey Cook, Vance Honeycutt and Anthony Donofrio — from last season’s College World Series team. Center fielder Kane Kepley and right fielder Tyson Bass have started every game this season, but five players were in and out of the lineup in left field for the first two months of the season.
After getting only 23 at-bats in his first two seasons, he had only five at-bats this season before Forbes gave him his first start in an ACC game on April 11 against Wake Forest. He’s started every game since then.
French went 2 for 10 in the first three games of the Chapel Hill Regional, but collected a career-high three hits in five at-bats in Monday’s 14–4 win over Oklahoma as UNC advanced to the Supers. This is after he got only six hits in his first two seasons and only one last season.
While mostly watching, French studied the stars who were playing ahead of him as much as he pored through biology textbooks.
“It’s been great the last two years, just watching all those guys come through here and just play really good baseball,” French said. “Vance and Casey were two guys I really looked up to, and they taught me a lot and basically just how to react and respond in certain situations and just know who I am and just play my game and try to get it better every day.”
Get better, he did. It was his excellent range and good arm on defense that led Forbes to go to him in April.
“We couldn’t give [away] extra outs, and putting him in left field has really solidified our defense. But he’s also gotten better and better offensively. He’s competitive. He’s not scared of any situation,” Forbes said, attributing the latter to his football background. “To see him put in the work, to be in that weight room, I still think he has another jump.”
NOTES — The first two games match right-handed starters. In Friday’s 12:06 p.m. series opener, graduate Jake Knapp (13–0, 1.98 ERA), the ACC Pitcher of the Year, faces Arizona sophomore Owen Kramkowski (9–5, 3.73). In Game 2, it will be UNC sophomore Jason DeCaro (9–3, 3.50 ERA) against Wildcats senior Raul Garayzar (2–0, 2.54 ERA). … UNC hasn’t announced a Game 3 starter, but Arizona will start freshman right-hander Smith Bailey (3–3, 3.97 ERA). Forbes said that if there is a Game 3, he’d consider freshman right-handers Ryan Lynch and Walker McDuffie as well as senior right-hander Aidan Haugh, who has been the No. 3 starter most of the season. … Arizona has won eight consecutive games. … Knapp is one of five finalists for the College Baseball Foundation’s National Player of the Year award, with the winner announced on June 13. … UNC freshman left-handed pitcher John Hughes, who hasn’t pitched, has entered the transfer portal. … Kramkowski gave up a season-high seven earned runs in a 16–5 loss to Clemson on Feb. 15. … Arizona closer Tony Pluta (2–0, 1.39 ERA) is one of 13 finalists for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year award. His 13 saves tied the program single-season record. … Junior Arizona catcher Adonys Guzman played his freshman season at Boston College, when current Arizona pitching coach Kevin Vance was at BC. When the Eagles took two of three games in Chapel Hill, he went 1 for 5 with an RBI in BC’s 6–2 win on April 23, 2023, his only start. … Arizona could have faced UNC in the Chapel Hill Super Regional last season when it hosted a regional, but was upset by West Virginia. … Arizona leads the all-time series with UNC 3–2, with the teams splitting two games in Chapel Hill, including Arizona winning 3–2 on May 19, 1990, in the last meeting. Carolina took two of three at Arizona in a 1985 series, winning 13–8 and 13–5 and losing 10–7. … UNC is the No. 6-winningest program with 3,090 wins and Arizona is No. 10 at 3,066.
Chapel Hill Super Regional
Top-ranked and No. 5-seed North Carolina (45–13) vs. No. 21-ranked Arizona (42–18)
Best-of-3 series
Boshamer Stadium
Game 1 Friday: UNC’s Jake Knapp (13–0, 1.98 ERA) vs. Arizona’s Owen Kramkowski (9–5, 4.73 ERA), 12:06 p.m., ESPN2
Game 2 Saturday: UNC’s Jason DeCaro (9–3, 3.50 ERA) vs. Arizona’s Raul Garayzar (2–0, 2.54 ERA), 12:06 p.m., ESPN2
Game 3 Sunday (if needed): UNC’s starter is TBA vs. Arizona’s Smith Bailey (3–3, 3.97 ERA), time and TV TBA
In the College World Series, the Chapel Hill Super Regional winner meets the winner of the Auburn Super Regional between No. 9-ranked and No. 4-seed Auburn (41–18) and No. 11-ranked and No. 13-seed Coastal Carolina (51–11). That series schedule is 9:06 p.m. Friday (ESPN2), 3:06 p.m. Saturday (ESPN2) and Sunday, with time and TV to be announced.
UNC season statistics
Arizona season statistics
| Date(s) | Day/ month | Time/ score | Opponent (current rank) | TV/ 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 | 12:06 p.m | No. 21 Arizona | ESPN2 |
| 7 | Saturday | 12:06 p.m | No. 21 Arizona | ESPN2 |
| 8 | Sunday | TBA (if needed) | No. 21 Arizona | TBA |
| 18–30 | Wed.–Mon. | College World Series | Omaha, Neb. |
Top photo courtesy of UNC Athletics; defense photo by Smith Hardy
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