By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — Last season, North Carolina could usually count on ace Jake Knapp to go deep into each start, which kept the bullpen fresh for the rest of the weekend.
That’s even more important in the postseason when falling into the losers’ bracket could mean the pitching staff has to cover many innings, often with little recovery time between games. The margin for error shrinks in a four-team regional, and the pressure on a bullpen can compound quickly if a starter cannot provide length in the opener.
When UNC ace Jason DeCaro came out after only 3⅓ innings and 55 pitches in the Tar Heels’ 10–4 quarterfinal ACC tournament win Friday in Charlotte over Virginia Tech, freshman reliever Caden Glauber covered the final 5⅔ innings.
But after throwing 90 pitches, he was unavailable for the rest of the tournament, taxing the rest of the bullpen and forcing UNC to patch together outs in Sunday’s 13–5 loss to Georgia Tech in the championship game.
DeCaro and the coaches have pointed back to that day as a reminder of what the postseason can demand, and what it can drain.
Subscribe to read Tar Heel Tribune ad-free
Subscribe for a cleaner, smoother reading experience without the flashing banners, slow-loading elements, or those especially annoying pop‑up ads that interrupt the flow of the story. You’ll also get the first version of each story emailed to you. The only ads you’ll see are static, non-intrusive ads for UNC‑related books, and there are none currently on the site.
Since that outing, DeCaro and the coaches have talked about how they’ll need DeCaro to go deep when No. 1 regional seed UNC (45–11–1) plays its Chapel Hill Regional opener against No. 4 VCU (36–23) at 5 p.m. Friday (ESPN+).
Forbes said the conversation is straightforward, and he does not see any benefit in tiptoeing around expectations at this stage of the season.
“You have to be honest with your players, ‘Hey, man, we got to have you go deeper,’ ” Forbes said. “And if a kid takes that as too much pressure, then they’re not going to be able to perform at this level.”
Knapp went at least seven innings in his last five Carolina starts, including one complete game. DeCaro has gone at least six innings three times this season after doing that five times last season. He’s lasted five innings or fewer in his last four outings.
Forbes framed it less as a critique of one game last week in Charlotte and more as a challenge that fits how North Carolina is built. When its starters pitch well, he said, the Tar Heels’ chances expand, not only because it protects relievers, but because it changes how opponents have to manage their arms across the weekend.
That includes Ryan Lynch, Saturday’s likely starter, and the game 3 starter, whether it be Folger Boaz or Jackson Rose. In three ACC tournament games, the starters combined to cover only 10 innings.
“We do know that if you get some length — at least our team, the way it’s made up — if our starters pitch well, we have a legit chance to win a lot,” Forbes said, including regional, super regional and NCAA titles in that mix. “We do need Jason and Lynch and whoever else we start — Boaz, Rose — to give us some length, because if we do that, the pressure on the other team increases tremendously with the strength of our bullpen.”
DeCaro said he welcomed the message and understood why it mattered so much in a regional opener that could shape the rest of the weekend. Carolina has enough good bullpen arms, led by Walker McDuffie, Glauber and Rose, but the calculus changes if the first night turns into a scramble or if the weekend stretches into Monday.
“Coach Forbes talked to me a little about that [Sunday], telling me that the starters have to go deep and kind of challenge us a little bit to take that upon ourselves to step up and pitch at our best this postseason,” DeCaro said. “Definitely something we’re looking to do.”
DeCaro said the key for him is efficiency that comes from competing in the strike zone, instead of creating extra pitches and extra stress. He pointed to the small mistakes that inflate pitch counts and shorten outings, especially in postseason games where every baserunner is magnified.
“The biggest thing is just being competitive with every pitch you throw, not wasting pitches,” DeCaro said. “A two-out walk can’t really happen, lead-off walk, stuff like that. Little things that might not seem too big, but, at the end of the game, you look back and say, ‘Oh, that cost me an inning here, that cost me an inning there.’ Just really being aggressive through the zone and challenging hitters.”
He also said the lesson from his last outing was not complicated but important. DeCaro said he did not execute consistently when he had an advantage in the count, and that is a flaw that good postseason lineups can punish quickly.
“The biggest thing for me was just not making my pitch when I was ahead in the count,” DeCaro said, mentioning the third and fourth innings. “Just trying to be better and execute better when I’m ahead in the count.”
DeCaro said that postseason teams tend to play sharper because there is no safety net.
“It helps a little bit, knowing what we’re going to see,” DeCaro said, noting that they faced two teams in the Chapel Hill Regional during the regular season in VCU and East Carolina. “At the same time, in the postseason teams tend to play a lot better than they have in the regular season, because they’re playing for their lives, so you can’t take too much of it into account except knowing what you’re getting ready to see.”
DeCaro’s longest outing of the season was a five-hit shutout in a 10–0 eight-inning run-rule victory at East Carolina on Feb. 20. But if he pitches against the Pirates this weekend, it would be a brief relief outing Sunday or Monday.
DeCaro has pitched in Omaha and has started in regionals before, experiences that he said can steady a pitcher when the atmosphere changes and the noise rises. He said the game still has to be handled one pitch at a time, regardless of the stakes.
“The biggest thing is it’s the same game, no matter where you’re playing it,” DeCaro said. “You’re just trying to go out there and give your team a chance to win, so understanding that, and taking it pitch by pitch, and not letting the moment get too big.”
That message is also part of how DeCaro plans to talk with younger players who will take the field in a Chapel Hill Regional for the first time. Carolina has drawn strong crowds throughout the spring, but DeCaro said the postseason brings a different energy and a different urgency.
“The environment in the postseason is definitely different from the regular season,” DeCaro said. “Just remind them to slow it down, don’t let the game speed up on them.”
DeCaro said his focus is simple, even if the consequences are not.
“Just trying to be ready to go on Friday, get my body in a good spot, get my arm in a good spot,” he said. “Use last outing as a learning point, and then just working hard to try to be my best on Friday.”
Chapel Hill Regional
At Boshamer Stadium
Friday’s games
No. 2 Tennessee (38–20) vs. No. 3 East Carolina (36–22–1), noon, ESPNU
No. 1 North Carolina (45–11–1) vs. No. 4 VCU (36–23), 5 p.m., ESPN+
Saturday’s games
Tennessee-ECU loser vs. UNC-VCU loser (elimination game), noon, ESPN+
Tennessee-ECU winner vs. UNC-VCU winner, 5 p.m., ESPN2
Sunday’s games
Winner of Saturday’s noon game vs. loser of Saturday’s 5 p.m. game (elimination game), noon
Winner of Saturday’s 5 p.m. game vs. winner of Sunday’s noon game, 6 p.m.
Monday’s game (if needed)
Deciding game should winner of Sunday’s noon game also win the 6 p.m. game, time to be determined
NCAA tournament bracket
| 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. 3 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. No. 24 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. 3 Ga. Tech | 45–11–1 |
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| Chapel Hill Regional | ||||
| 29 | Friday | 5 p.m. | VCU | ESPN+ |
| 30 | Saturday | noon (with loss) or 5 p.m. (with win) | ECU or Tennessee | ESPN+ (noon ESPN2 (5 p.m.) |
| 31 | Sunday | noon or 5 p.m. | TBD | TBD |
| June | ||||
| 1 | Monday | TBD | (if needed) | TBD |
| 5–7 | Fri.-Sun. | Super Regionals | in Chapel Hill (if UNC advances) | TBA |
| 12–22 | Fri.-Mon | College World Series | Omaha, Neb. | TBA |
Photo courtesy of the ACC
