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#UNC coach Scott Forbes, pitcher Jake Knapp and first baseman Hunter Stokely after Heels sweep DH
Feb 15, 2025
#UNC coach Scott Forbes, pitcher Jake Knapp and first baseman Hunter Stokely after Heels sweep DH
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0:00
guys are really hard to win they should
0:02
be proud of that on the reverse side of
0:04
that they're going to come in for game
0:06
three they're going to scratch and Claw
0:08
to try to get out of here without
0:09
getting swept so we have to masch that
0:11
but thought we really pitched it I
0:13
thought we really played good defense I
0:15
was messing with Coach where bicki I
0:17
said we didn't hit a home run so I'm
0:18
find me a new hitting coach for tomorrow
0:21
but I think those home runs will come um
0:23
you said it right A different brand but
0:25
also you know I thought we had
0:27
distribution throughout the order but I
0:30
was really impressed with our pitching
0:31
and our defense stokeley first game back
0:35
a long time yeah big day you know the
0:39
preseason can be a little misleading we
0:41
know he's not your normal nine-hole
0:43
hitter so we envision him moving up in
0:45
the order most likely but some other
0:47
guys have been hot we just kind of like
0:50
the way that that laid out we were
0:53
messing with him Le off he let off like
0:55
four or five times today but he got a
0:57
big hit uh we expect him to be a power
1:00
guy so I'm really happy for him and
1:02
obviously guys other guys that were out
1:05
last year Boaz and that but stokeley is
1:07
a heck of a player and to see him use
1:10
that opposite field Gap uh and then get
1:12
a hit against the Lefty is good is a
1:14
good start for him no home runs but
1:16
seven doubles do you think hitting
1:18
either those balls in the gap or that
1:20
little scrappy speed on the bases is
1:22
more kind of this branded baseball yeah
1:24
for sure we're going to try to pressure
1:25
as much as we can I do think we have
1:27
power throughout the order um aad is
1:30
probably the only guy that's not capable
1:33
I hate to say he's not capable but you
1:34
he may not hit double digit home runs um
1:37
everybody else is capable of hitting 10
1:40
so if you got 10 times 8 that's still a
1:42
good amount of home runs uh so I think
1:44
that's a little bit misleading today um
1:47
but the speed does pressure teams and
1:49
that that makes a difference so we're
1:50
going to be aggressive on the bases
1:52
we're going to steal bases and take dirt
1:55
ball reads and that type of thing
1:57
obviously keple doesn't have the range
1:58
in the Outfield that Vance had but there
2:01
was a flash of a Vance kind of play
2:03
still in the home run there yeah no
2:05
doubt I thought he made two tremendous
2:07
plays he robbed the ball obviously that
2:09
was impressive but then there was a ball
2:11
off McDuffy that was hit really hard in
2:13
the right center Gap um and again you
2:16
know you're talking about what I who I
2:18
think in 27 Seasons B the best center
2:21
fielder I've ever seen on the field you
2:25
know that's once in a lifetime guy that
2:28
you get a coach but kepley's as good as
2:30
a center fielder in college baseball so
2:32
we're just lucky that he's here and he
2:34
came to coach Jackson brought in a nap
2:36
in the the sixth inning um what was the
2:39
decision for that going forward is that
2:40
going to be something that we see on
2:41
Fridays a lot or just early double
2:43
header given the situation rain stuff
2:45
like that we approached it like we
2:46
weren't going to play game three
2:48
honestly um with the forecast it is what
2:50
it is and we thought coach Gaines and I
2:53
actually set down we always sit down and
2:55
map out the pitching best case scenario
2:58
you know kind of in the middle and then
3:00
uh the worst case like what if darro
3:02
just doesn't have it who we're going to
3:03
go to early and that one played out in
3:05
the best case scenario daro went went
3:07
well uh then we went to nap and then we
3:10
went to Maas is what our goal was to go
3:12
to those three um so that worked out
3:15
really well for us and that was a big
3:16
deal Jake knp set beside me every pitch
3:18
last year um I called him Coach knap and
3:22
now I don't call him Coach nap anymore
3:24
he's able to pitch and you're only going
3:26
to see him get better his off speed the
3:29
all speed usually what takes a little
3:30
longer didn't look like that with folder
3:32
tonight but that usually takes a little
3:34
bit longer to come back but I thought
3:35
his velocity was really really good and
3:37
he just pounds and Strikes on the first
3:40
at bat I mean three pitch strike out I
3:42
mean what was that emotion just to know
3:44
that he's back yeah just I mean you know
3:47
it is emotional the older I get the more
3:49
emotional I get especially if you know
3:50
the character of the kid and how hard he
3:52
worked and how he didn't have to come
3:54
back he could have went ahead and
3:56
started his professional career but he
3:58
valued coming back to North Carolina he
4:00
believed in US coach Hal coach Gaines
4:02
our program Terry Joe getting him back
4:05
and then he's also you know getting a
4:07
really good grad one year degree from
4:09
the University of North Carolina did you
4:11
guys have any specific game plan with
4:13
bringing nap in his first time facing
4:15
live non UNC batters we always have a
4:19
game plan but that was what we were
4:20
hoping for is he could start an inning
4:23
um you know sometimes it doesn't always
4:25
play out like that but you got to go by
4:27
what you see and he looked ready to
4:29
pitch in any situation so really I told
4:31
Coach gains if we feel like he's the
4:34
best guy cuz he's older and he has come
4:37
out of the bullpen before in his career
4:39
we just need to go to him but that
4:41
worked out in the perfect case scenario
4:42
where he could treat it almost like a
4:44
start the same thing basically we did
4:46
with McDuffy and we had plenty of time
4:48
to get Boaz ready as well you got Jason
4:51
coming out hot right out the gate yeah I
4:54
mean what have you seen with him growth
4:56
wise since last year I mean that set the
4:58
whole tone of the day like if you're F
5:00
if he doesn't go out there and give us
5:01
length you know their guy was his pitch
5:04
count was much much higher than Jason's
5:06
Jason's got this ability um kind of like
5:09
Alex white where he can be like 90 91
5:11
then all a sudden walk walk and
5:14
everything goes up um so he's had that
5:18
you know from the day he got here he had
5:20
he's had that presence and that makeup
5:22
but he's bigger he's stronger he's more
5:23
physical he's going to hold his velocity
5:25
more uh so his biggest growth is just in
5:28
his you know his size and his durability
5:31
the visit by Luke after those walks
5:34
really set him down we've talked a lot
5:35
about Luke's leadership I mean you see
5:38
it out here today he he that kid just
5:40
enjoys playing I mean he had terrible at
5:43
bats early and I was in the back I was
5:45
like hey man you going to make contact
5:46
today and because it's Luke and and I
5:49
knew he would be fine but he his number
5:51
one goal is to make our pitchers better
5:54
and that's why he's so special obviously
5:56
the bat is the bat but you know that
5:58
helps our pitchers in those situation
6:01
you know some catchers you don't want to
6:02
go out there cuz they may not say the
6:04
right things but Luke is like that extra
6:06
catcher on the field which is we're
6:08
lucky to have that and he caught 18
6:10
Innings today obviously um it was again
6:13
our approach to today was game three is
6:16
not looking good so let's just go after
6:18
both these games McDuffy bringing
6:20
McDuffy in what was the idea with that
6:23
and then what did you see from him I
6:24
mean three and a half Innings got the
6:26
win how all the po ah you know
6:30
the one thing about McDuffy is we felt
6:32
like his ability and talent warranted
6:35
him being in any situation and sure
6:37
enough he's in first and second in the
6:39
middle of the order Bravo Bravo's the
6:42
best hitter in their League last year
6:43
and he almost got him out he was trying
6:45
to set him up with an elevated fast ball
6:47
and then go back to his slider um but
6:49
that's what we've seen the preseason
6:51
that's what we saw you know he's from my
6:52
hometown he says he's from Broadway but
6:54
we're all from the same we're all from
6:57
the same area um and and uh you know
7:00
he's just he's got a weapon in that
7:02
slider and his velocity is starting to
7:04
tick up and I thought he was in total
7:06
control from the time he stepped out
7:08
there about the mid90s right yeah I mean
7:11
he's had a vlo jump and he just keeps
7:12
throwing harder and you know that's why
7:14
we took him out there he was in cruise
7:16
control but it's colder uh you got to
7:18
take care of these guys and it worked
7:20
out the Boaz goes out there and strikes
7:22
out the side which is pretty cool too
7:23
cuz he had to have surgery as well what
7:26
does it say to mcduffy's maturity to
7:28
have him just be that cool C collected
7:30
on the M yeah you know we saw that when
7:33
in in especially his senior year he he's
7:36
just speci he's just undersiz so we
7:37
didn't have to fight the draft for him
7:39
me he goes out there you know he's got
7:41
his glasses on the other team probably
7:42
like who is this guy this freshman then
7:44
all of a sudden that Bol comes out at 94
7:46
with that nasty slider so he's always
7:49
had command um and those guys that have
7:52
command like that with those quick arms
7:54
you look at his lower half uh and then
7:57
you got a weapon like that as a slider
7:58
we felt really good about him helping us
8:01
as a freshman we don't really know until
8:02
they go out there and we got some other
8:04
ones that we're excited to see in
8:05
tomorrow's game what does bass have
8:07
against your coaching snap golly he SM
8:10
we twice you know he hit wears I just
8:13
hit him right in the shoulder um you
8:15
know he he looks like he's asleep when
8:17
he's standing in the Box already hold
8:18
he's just a loose player um he just
8:21
needs to mix him more pinear that's for
8:22
sure who do you start if there's a game
8:24
tomorrow Olen
8:26
Johnson call it
8:30
thank
8:35
y'all yeah it's been that long when you
8:38
got up on the M what were your thoughts
8:39
and feelings um before you first pitch
8:42
and then that first bet there honestly
8:44
weren't really any kind of blacked out
8:46
when I came in from the pen so just kind
8:48
of go out there get after it but it was
8:50
awesome to be back out there yeah three
8:52
three fast balls three strikes and a
8:53
strike out I mean what was the the
8:55
mentality of your your way back into
8:57
this just challenging
9:00
I mean it was less result oriented today
9:02
and more get out there but you always
9:05
want to do your best when you're out
9:06
there and so coach gain just told me to
9:08
challenge him that's what I did yeah
9:10
coach forbs talks about he called you
9:11
like coach nap last year and now he's so
9:13
grateful that you're you're back out
9:14
there I mean wasn't mean to to be able
9:17
to just put on the Jersey and actually
9:18
play um for this team once again it's
9:20
awesome I mean this place is really
9:22
special and especially the people um I
9:25
think that's what I'll take the most out
9:26
of my time here is the relationships
9:27
that I've created with the coaches
9:29
players with so many people around the
9:31
university so just it's really special
9:33
and I'm grateful that um they gave me
9:36
the chance to come back and um I'm
9:39
always always be grateful for it and be
9:40
indebted to them
9:43
so today's outing wasn't exactly results
9:46
oriented when you give up a home run
9:49
like that how do you kind of stay in
9:51
that mentality that this this is a good
9:52
thing you're back to pitching and it's
9:55
going to be fine it's not really what I
9:57
was thinking in the moment but um just
9:59
get after the next hitter um we talk
10:02
about responding um can't walk the next
10:04
guy let him get momentum but a solo home
10:06
run is rarely going to beat you so um
10:09
just get right back in the zone and
10:10
attack that next guy being able to watch
10:13
last year how'd that help you get back
10:16
into it this year and work through the
10:17
fall and then come out here today I
10:19
think even being older like the game
10:21
still can get fast at times so just last
10:24
year being locked into every pitch like
10:27
in realizing the thought process of the
10:28
coaches coach forms coach gains coach
10:30
how uh every every moment's going to
10:33
slow down a little bit more so I I
10:34
understand the pitch calls I understand
10:36
what we're trying to do as far as
10:37
setting people up um and understanding
10:40
roles like when you come in from the pen
10:42
got to get the first guy out like limit
10:44
the momentum and just learning so many
10:48
random things from coach Forbes coach
10:50
gains and I don't even know how to
10:52
describe to you some of the
10:53
conversations we've had especially with
10:55
coach for so I'm sure you guys have had
10:57
a couple but um it was
11:00
obviously I wanted to be out there but
11:02
um it was nice to be able to to just
11:04
take some time and learn learn the game
11:06
learn the coaches I know you talked
11:08
about that your first goal in getting
11:10
back was trying to get all this get back
11:12
to the point where you were before you
11:13
got injured did you have another
11:15
specific goal tonight on the mound
11:17
either specific pitch or was it just go
11:19
out there and throw what I have just
11:21
have fun been a while like Williams said
11:24
since I've been out there so I just want
11:25
to go out there and have fun we're more
11:27
than 600 days between
11:29
outings you would expect most would
11:32
expect you to be rusty but you didn't
11:34
seem to be did that surprise you not
11:37
really I mean just the work and
11:39
preparation that I've put in just
11:41
prepare me for the moment to be back out
11:42
there and the help that I've gotten from
11:44
so many people in the program and
11:46
outside of the program prepare me to be
11:48
back out there did you um talk to Kane
11:51
at all after you guys came back in the
11:53
diet I did I did it's his birthday today
11:55
21st birthday so I told him I wanted to
11:57
get him a highlight for his birthday we
11:59
did it on purpose so um obviously I
12:02
didn't but it's a good way to look at it
12:04
now were you were you working off a
12:06
pitch count today or just go to you know
12:09
whatever felt comfortable I'm still
12:11
working on a pitch count I wanted to go
12:13
back out for the ninth but it's a little
12:15
early in the season to start arguing
12:17
with Coach games and Coach forbs about
12:18
that stuff but um over the next couple
12:21
weeks I'll still be on a pitch count and
12:22
then hopefully by round ACC play we can
12:24
kind of Let it Loose so so your pencil t
12:28
as the number two starter and probably
12:30
would have gone tomorrow if the regular
12:32
schedule had gone
12:33
through that's not something that I know
12:36
um I with talks in preseason with Coach
12:40
Gaines and coach forb was like just be
12:42
ready to do anything if they need me to
12:43
start I'll be ready to start if I need
12:44
to come out of the pen like I did today
12:45
I'll be ready to come out pen I know you
12:47
and fer did all your rehab together and
12:50
you got to come back out he got to come
12:52
back out how did that feel watching him
12:54
and I won't have you speak for him but I
12:56
bet that felt good for him watching you
12:58
oh it was honestly like it was almost
13:01
easier like I was happier for him than I
13:04
was for myself like it's a just
13:06
something that's hard to describe but
13:08
just seeing the work that he put in and
13:11
um I'm extremely happy for him and they
13:13
we only be getting better throughout the
13:15
rest of the year so obviously it's hard
13:17
to get any better than he was tonight
13:18
but um I don't know if you can I guess
13:20
Immaculate inning but um he he'll be
13:23
able to keep that up the rest of the
13:25
year what did you see from Jason De
13:27
Carol last saw his outing
13:30
Jason the Carol um he's a special talent
13:33
but I think it's just he's a normal kid
13:37
and he's able to take that into into the
13:39
games and his preparation and just have
13:41
fun and I he's got four pitches in the
13:43
zone command of all four so he's a
13:46
special talent but he's down to earth
13:48
he's humble works hard and he'll keep
13:51
getting good results thank you so much
13:55
congs against a different team in a real
13:58
game situation
14:02
but to come back and five hits driving
14:05
in five runs I mean did you expect to
14:08
come out that hot after so I mean what
14:12
were your what are your
14:14
emotions having a game like that after
14:17
missing probably pretty much a year I
14:19
don't know if I got five hits but um it
14:21
was just good to get back out there and
14:23
get a couple hits and help the team win
14:26
anyway I can what was the reh like last
14:30
year and how much were you kind of
14:32
interacting with this lineup that you'll
14:34
be playing with since they're all pretty
14:36
new last year was just try to get back
14:39
and be healthy to play this year I was
14:41
able to play last year if we didn't make
14:43
it to the national championship and we
14:44
needed a left-handed bat Off the Bench
14:47
but just pretty much getting back in
14:49
into the weight room just lifting every
14:51
day and just getting focused to play
14:53
this new season was there anything in
14:55
specific you focused on in the preseason
14:57
like bat speed contact anything like
14:59
that just pretty much driving the ball
15:01
backside more in the air pretty much
15:04
about
15:06
it coach Forbes has talked about first
15:09
base and he he's really said he thinks
15:12
you're Elite first baseman out there
15:13
just talk about the work even when
15:15
you're injured can't really hit but the
15:17
work you were able to get in just pretty
15:18
much just staying with the routine of my
15:20
glove work every day that we have we do
15:23
every day at practice just pretty much
15:24
just stay with a glove and then
15:26
practicing at third base I say he's
15:27
helped me a lot at first base now what
15:30
do you think about the second the second
15:32
first base out there the double first I
15:35
like it because it won't be any more
15:36
injuries but it's hard
15:38
to I really don't it just depends to be
15:41
honest with you weird it's just weird
15:42
because you can't really on an infield
15:44
play you can't use the green bag you can
15:46
only use a green bag on a drop third
15:47
strike so it's just the long back hop
15:51
you can't really switch your feet and
15:53
catch it just it's going to be hard to
15:55
tag Runners on the throw up the line too
15:57
so something he used to so it's was only
16:00
available on drop thirds and and running
16:03
through the first base yeah drop pretty
16:05
much just drop third strikes you can use
16:07
either
16:09
bag you look it looked like you you
16:11
tagged the green base one time on a
16:14
close play when it looked like if there
16:16
wasn't the green bag you might not have
16:18
got him yeah so when Steve he threw the
16:20
ball across my glove side a little bit
16:22
far and then if the green bag wasn't
16:24
there he probably would have been safe I
16:25
would say so you so you like that P yeah
16:29
extra on the drop third
16:31
strike a trademark of last year's team
16:33
is obviously the long ball today y'all
16:35
didn't have one um just how would you
16:37
describe y'all's Approach at the plate
16:39
as a team and how y'all are able to
16:41
execute that extending at bats and
16:42
stringing hits together just pretty much
16:45
just like I said stringing hits together
16:46
don't try to do too much just let the
16:48
next guy behind you you have trust in
16:50
him just get base hit he's going to
16:52
knock you in we still we're going to
16:53
still Bay more bags this year than we
16:55
did last year so just letting them do
16:57
the thing on the base and just knock
16:59
ball
17:00
in hitting I was say you're hitting in
17:03
the nine hole for so that you're not
17:04
exactly I guess your stereotypical n
17:06
hole hitter what is it like to be in
17:10
that n hole especially when you're
17:11
acting like the lead off in a lot of
17:13
situations I've never really let off
17:15
much but today I let off I guess five
17:18
times it's a little different but it's
17:20
just I doesn't bother me where I hit
17:22
just to be able to get play and help the
17:24
team win so real overall takeaway from
17:28
from a big opening a double header um
17:31
Team came in confident I mean this has
17:32
to
17:33
really U make that even bigger yeah just
17:37
new team just getting out there getting
17:39
two win is very huge for this group of
17:42
guys appreciate it man thank you thank
17:45
you
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