CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – For the 12th time in program history, the University of North Carolina baseball team is heading to the College World Series.
from www.goheels.com
Freshman Jason DeCaro pitched 6 1/3 innings, and Vance Honeycutt homered on the first pitch of the game to lead the Tar Heels to a 2-1 win over West Virginia on Saturday, securing their first trip to Omaha since 2018, and first under head coach Scott Forbes.
The home-standing Tar Heels (47-14), the No. 4 national seed, went to Omaha seven times from 2006-18. They returned by sweeping the best-of-three Super Regional series against unseeded West Virginia (36-24).
“I’m really happy for this team and these players,” Forbes said. “My whole goal was to get these guys to Omaha because they deserve to be there.”
The Tar Heels will play No. 12 seed Virginia in an opening-round game next weekend.
POSTGAME NOTES
• The Tar Heels recorded their 47th win of the season, their most since winning 48 in 2009.
• North Carolina is 8-3 all-time in the Super Regional round. The Tar Heels have 17 Super Regional wins, ninth most all-time.
• UNC recorded its sixth Super Regional sweep (2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2018, 2024).
• Carolina improved to 16-2 this season when allowing two runs or less.
• The Tar Heels finished 37-3 (.925) at Boshamer Stadium, recording the highest winning percentage in stadium history.
• Honeycutt broke his program single-season home run record, belting his 26th of the season. It was the 63rd homer of his career.
• DeCaro turned in his sixth quality start of the season.
• Pence recorded his eighth save of the season, tying for 13th most in school history.