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UNC's Hunter Stokely, Scott Forbes and Jake Knapp after big win over Arizona
Jun 6, 2025
UNC's Hunter Stokely, Scott Forbes and Jake Knapp after big win over Arizona
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0:01
Am I starting? Yes, sir. Uh yeah. Um
0:05
obviously great win. Uh this guy sitting
0:08
to my left set the tone, bases loaded
0:11
twice. Um with a really good offensive
0:14
team and we get a double play with their
0:16
leadoff hitter who's a heck of a player.
0:18
And then I told Coach Jackson, I said,
0:20
"Dang, man." Like I hadn't seen many
0:22
times when the other team like that has
0:24
the bases loaded with nobody out. I
0:26
think it was four pitches were batting
0:28
the dugout. So, I thought that kept all
0:29
the momentum in our dugout. We did a
0:31
really good job of of having competitive
0:34
at bats throughout the lineup. Um, our
0:36
guys have been doing that now for a long
0:38
time. If a guy's a bad at bat, the next
0:39
guy usually doesn't. Uh, and they've
0:42
just completely bought in to that
0:43
approach. Coach Vicki and Coach Jackson
0:45
talked to them about um, you know, and
0:48
that's that's why we came out on top.
0:49
Tomorrow will be a really difficult
0:51
game. The guys know that. I told them to
0:52
take that shower and leave this game
0:53
behind them. Uh, so we'll get back at it
0:56
tomorrow.
0:58
Jake and then Hunter, can you just walk
1:00
me through that huge double play in the
1:02
second inning? It seemed like it really
1:03
took the wind out of their sales.
1:06
Yeah, I mean it was tough today all day.
1:09
Uh that was a really good team, really
1:11
good hitting team and Coach Gaines came
1:13
out and said we're one pitch away and
1:16
trying to tack him away uh with me
1:18
specifically in my stuff. And I didn't
1:20
think we were originally going to turn
1:22
two when I saw the ball put in play
1:23
because he can he can run. Um, so
1:25
unbelievable turning up the middle from
1:26
Madan and and Bandy. And that was big
1:29
for me, especially after they picked me
1:30
up in the first with the five spot after
1:32
I got jumped for one. So that helped me
1:34
just kind of settle in and again trust
1:36
those guys behind me. They've been
1:37
picking me up all year. So that was
1:39
awesome. I don't know if you answer
1:40
that, too. I think it was just huge by
1:42
um by Jake right there just to get his
1:46
pitch back through there and just turned
1:48
on play. It's just I think it was a
1:49
momentum killer for them. I would say
1:51
just kept them in on our side whole
1:54
game. Tommy, Coach Forbes, it felt like
1:57
maybe they approached differently than
1:59
other teams have. Not trying to kill the
2:01
ball, just trying to to get I think you
2:03
gave up more hits than you've given up
2:05
all year. Did you notice that or see
2:07
that? And then that mound visit by games
2:09
really settled it in. Yeah, I mean I
2:11
think everybody's approach against Jake
2:14
uh has to be you better be ready for the
2:17
fast ball and I think that's what theirs
2:18
was. Um, I think Jake will tell you he
2:21
wasn't like Jake Knap A+ sharpness, but
2:24
he's always A+ competitiveness. Um, so
2:28
that's why he's he's our Friday guy, but
2:30
they were staying short to the ball.
2:31
They were having good at bats. Um, but
2:34
again, I told the team back there, uh,
2:36
great pitchers make big pitches in the
2:39
biggest situations. They they have a
2:40
knack for that. They're better, uh, in
2:43
the tougher situations, and he had two
2:44
really tough ones, uh, to get out of of
2:47
both of those. um with only one run in
2:50
those innings was was really big for us.
2:52
Adam, Hunter, uh what do you make of the
2:55
way you guys have started these games
2:58
the the last couple days? I think it the
3:00
five spot today made it 14 runs in the
3:02
first inning the last four games. I
3:04
mean, what what is it what's working
3:06
there for you guys and what what do you
3:07
think's happening? I would say just
3:10
going out there just staying with our
3:11
approach, working what we've done in the
3:13
cages is pretty much this whole week and
3:15
just sticking to our approach, getting
3:17
our pitches and hitting them. I would
3:19
say Hunter kind of on a similar note. I
3:22
mean, you guys have had a track record
3:23
here over your five years working with
3:26
coach Wears Vicki where when you have
3:27
these kind of long layoffs in between
3:29
games prepping for a pitcher, you guys
3:31
have been able to come out on the
3:32
attack. Just what is it about the plan
3:35
that he's able to put together for you
3:36
guys where you guys know you're going to
3:37
be able to that and have success. Just
3:41
watching video every day of the pitcher
3:43
and just putting his machine the way
3:45
he's going to throw and just go out
3:47
there and just execute our playing
3:48
throughout the whole game. Don't take
3:50
the pitch off, I would say. Jake, on a
3:52
day when it was clear that you didn't
3:54
have your best stuff, how how important
3:56
was it for you to just really grit up
3:58
and then when you look up, you still got
4:00
through what got to the eighth inning
4:02
and put together a another great strong
4:04
start? Yeah, I mean for me, especially
4:06
today with the way our offense is
4:09
swinging, it it makes it easy on me.
4:11
Like I didn't have my best stuff, but I
4:13
was just going trying to attack and keep
4:15
the ball in the park. Um it ended up
4:17
working out pretty well, but they had a
4:19
good approach and we're on the barrel a
4:20
lot today. Uh so when you don't have
4:22
your best stuff, just try and fill it up
4:24
and still hitting really hard. So make
4:27
them string together a bunch in a row
4:28
and I was lucky at times to give up just
4:32
singles, but just trusting the defense,
4:34
especially on a day like today where I'm
4:35
not able to punch a lot of guys out.
4:36
Quick follow. How how good did it make
4:38
you feel to see the way your boys picked
4:40
you up, especially after that first
4:41
minute dropping a foul spot and then you
4:43
go out there with a with a shut down?
4:44
It's awesome. I mean, it changes the
4:46
game. It kills the momentum that they
4:47
have right away and allows me to settle
4:49
in in a big game, big environment. So
4:51
knowing those guys are going to do that
4:53
every time I'm out there, I mean it it
4:54
makes my job really easy. Here in the
4:56
front then Brian. Um coach, speaking
4:58
about hit specifically, we see the shift
5:00
and then you know he hits it right where
5:02
they're not. How much do you guys work
5:03
on that position hitting? Um and when do
5:05
you use those situations? Yeah, honestly
5:08
it's not. You have to be really careful.
5:09
Um that's like a Derek Jeter type
5:12
ability to be to look at the shift and
5:14
move the ball like that. Um so really we
5:17
just try to get our pitch and drive that
5:19
pitch. We don't work hard at all on
5:21
beating the shift. But with two strikes,
5:23
I mean like Stoke right there, they were
5:25
playing him in a five we call it where
5:28
everybody was on the right side except
5:29
for the third baseman and six holes
5:31
open. So Stoke knows if I just move the
5:32
ball right there, I can't beat the
5:34
shift. So we do work on that with two
5:35
strikes. Ryan back. Um Hunter, how does
5:38
it feel uh to be back this season being
5:40
a huge impact during these super
5:42
regionals? And then what's going through
5:44
your mind during that first hitting home
5:45
run? I would say it feels unreal to be
5:48
back here playing at super regional at
5:49
Chapel Hill. It's just playing with Nap
5:52
and all the old guys. Just coming back
5:54
one last year and just playing feels
5:55
amazing here.
5:58
RL, how big was it that you got two
6:01
innings from Chewy? You didn't have to
6:03
use McDuffy. You didn't have to use
6:04
Lynch and your bullpin's fresh. Yeah, I
6:07
mean it's huge. Um, you know, just
6:10
telling the coaches obviously you talk
6:12
about every situation. we had a plan and
6:15
uh I wouldn't have guessed that that
6:17
would have been the case in our first
6:19
game of a super regional, but I'll sure
6:20
take it. Um you know, so we'll meet
6:23
again tomorrow morning uh or later
6:25
today, me and coach games, and we'll
6:26
talk through tomorrow's plan, but that
6:28
definitely helps us have those guys
6:30
fresher because McDuffy and Lynch we
6:32
were hoping not to have to use today,
6:34
but we could have used them, but now
6:35
they have four days, so that should help
6:37
them. The the margin allows you more
6:38
flexibility. Absolutely. Yep. Kip and
6:41
Tommy. Yeah. Hunter, you you and Luke
6:44
had already homerred by this point and
6:47
you were send one to the center field
6:49
wall that your center fielder makes a
6:51
you know amazing catch on. Did you see
6:53
it live when he made the catch? Were you
6:55
watching it? Yes, I did. It was an
6:56
unbelievable catch and before that one
6:58
Gavin's ball made a unable catch too. He
7:00
was a great center just made two great
7:02
catches.
7:04
Coach Gorge was there. Any thought of
7:06
sending Keley on that triple?
7:10
No, I mean, well, that's a lie because
7:13
obviously you're thinking about as the
7:14
ball's going out there and you know, I
7:16
think Keley sets a record for getting
7:18
around the bases, too, when he hits a
7:19
home run. Um, he basically trying to get
7:23
it in the park when he's already over
7:24
the wall. But, uh, you know, God, that
7:27
kid plays the game the right way and
7:28
he's he's really,
7:31
um, been a pleasure and a joy to coach.
7:34
He never takes a day off, but you know,
7:35
you have to look at it and make sure
7:37
that this exchange is clean. And you
7:39
have to make that decision pretty early
7:41
because he's not going to stop unless
7:42
you stop him. I've got four more so you
7:44
don't have to raise your hand anymore.
7:45
Grace and Adam. Coach, fundamental
7:48
defensive execution seems to be just a
7:50
calling card of this team, but the snags
7:52
by like Gavin and Bandy. What do you
7:54
make of those? Those plays that aren't
7:55
necessarily going to show up in the box
7:57
score, but are huge for the outcome.
7:58
Yeah, I mean, you look at it, Jake may
8:00
not have had his best stuff. So, it
8:02
started with him. We only walked one
8:03
today between him and Chewy. And Chewy's
8:05
walk, I believe, was a 3-2 pitch. Um,
8:08
and again, you have to, you know,
8:11
Vandy's in that spot for that play
8:14
because coach Vicki put him in that
8:15
spot. So, that's a lot of time. I saw
8:18
the coaches this morning. I I looked at
8:19
We was like, "Man, dude, you got to get
8:21
some sleep." His eyes. I was like, "Man,
8:23
you I know you're ready, so get some
8:25
sleep tonight." Um, but those guys do a
8:27
great job of positioning our infielders
8:28
and our outfielders. Adam and Rob.
8:32
Scott, I was wondering if you you found
8:34
it rewarding in any way that with with
8:36
some of the talks with Luke the last
8:38
couple days that he comes out, it's a
8:40
RBI single in the first, the three-run
8:42
bomb in the second inning. I mean, did
8:43
you have did you go to him and say, you
8:45
know, now that's what I'm talking about
8:47
type of thing. No, we talked about it
8:48
before. Um, Coach Wears made a great
8:50
point with him said, you know, he made a
8:52
compared to Kyle Schwber like like I
8:54
told y'all, he does two things. He walks
8:56
and when he hits it, he does damage. Um,
8:59
and we said, Luke, let's just get back
9:00
to doing that. And uh I had a good
9:03
feeling about Luke and he got that first
9:05
first hit. He almost had two home runs.
9:08
He was on the barrel uh all day. So that
9:10
is really good for us as a team. Rob, uh
9:14
for Scott and Jake, 14th win of the
9:16
year. I think that matches a single
9:18
season program record. What's that mean
9:20
for you to see that place in history for
9:23
Jake and Jake for you to to be a part of
9:25
that?
9:27
I mean, it's way bigger than just me.
9:30
That's what I've kind of leaned on all
9:32
year. It's a credit to these two right
9:34
here and everybody else in the program.
9:36
They've put me in a position to to have
9:39
that happen this year and I'm just very
9:41
grateful that it's that's come that way
9:42
and um it's something that I'm proud of,
9:45
but I'm just grateful to be a part of
9:47
something so special. Scott, um I didn't
9:50
know that was the case, but obviously u
9:53
it's it's what he deserves. Um I've been
9:55
coaching a long time. we set my office.
9:58
Uh, you know, Jake was trying to decide
10:01
if he was going to come back for another
10:02
year. Um, and I'm just thankful that he
10:06
trusted all of us and he made that
10:08
decision and he's pitching in our
10:10
uniform and not a pro uniform. He can he
10:12
can pitch in that in August.
10:15
Um, for Jake, you held the top three
10:18
hitters in Arizona's lineup to one for
10:20
12. How important was that?
10:24
The rest of them did some damage, but
10:28
Yeah, I mean those guys are are really
10:30
good at the top and they set the tone
10:31
for that offense. But, uh, Coach Gains
10:33
had a really good plan, especially for
10:34
those guys at the top. I didn't do my
10:36
job executing through the rest of the
10:38
lineup. U, but, you know, it's it's a
10:41
really good team, really offensive team,
10:42
and Jason will will have he'll have to
10:45
make his pitches tomorrow. So, um,
10:47
they'll make adjustments, and I was just
10:49
happy to at least get a couple guys out.
10:52
I'd like to not do my job the way you
10:54
did your job. All right.
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