University of North Carolina Athletics
Love, Thompson Earn All-ACC Honors
May 24, 2021 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL – Austin Love and Justice Thompson each garnered All-ACC honors, the conference announced on Monday.
Love, a First Team selection, became the eighth Tar Heel pitcher to earn first-team honors since 1999. He joins Daniel Bard, Robert Woodard, Andrew Miller, Alex White, Matt Harvey, Kent Emanuel, and J.B. Bukauskas.
The Salisbury, N.C. native has been electric in 2021 and turned in four performances in which he has pitched six-plus innings and recorded 10-plus strikeouts.
The ACC's leader in innings pitching (89.2), Love ranks third in strikeouts (111) and eighth in opposing batting average (.216).
Love's season was highlighted by a terrific performance against Georgia Tech on May 20, which yielded 9.0 innings, 15 strikeouts, two runs, eight hits, and zero walks.
It was his second complete game of the season after he went the distance on May 14, 2021 against Louisville. In the Atlantic Coast Conference this season, only nine complete games have been thrown, NC State (3), Notre Dame (2), rest of ACC (2).
Thompson, a Second Team selection, has started 49 of the Tar Heels' 50 games in centerfield and has consistently been one of the league's top defenders in his first season in Chapel Hill.
He finished the regular season with a .321 average with 61 hits, eight doubles, seven home runs and 23 RBI. His average ranks 18th in the ACC.
A true five-tool player, Thompson has robbed a pair of home runs and has displayed a defensive prowess all season that has included numerous run-saving catches and has committed just one error in the field (.992 fld %). Through 50 games and 190 at-bats, he is slugging .474 and claims a .398 on-base percentage. He is tied for fourth in the ACC in stolen bases, swiping 14 bags in 16 attempts.
Love and Thompson look to lead Carolina to its eighth tournament championship beginning tomorrow (May 25) at 7 p.m. versus Pittsburgh.
Love, a First Team selection, became the eighth Tar Heel pitcher to earn first-team honors since 1999. He joins Daniel Bard, Robert Woodard, Andrew Miller, Alex White, Matt Harvey, Kent Emanuel, and J.B. Bukauskas.
The Salisbury, N.C. native has been electric in 2021 and turned in four performances in which he has pitched six-plus innings and recorded 10-plus strikeouts.
The ACC's leader in innings pitching (89.2), Love ranks third in strikeouts (111) and eighth in opposing batting average (.216).
Love's season was highlighted by a terrific performance against Georgia Tech on May 20, which yielded 9.0 innings, 15 strikeouts, two runs, eight hits, and zero walks.
It was his second complete game of the season after he went the distance on May 14, 2021 against Louisville. In the Atlantic Coast Conference this season, only nine complete games have been thrown, NC State (3), Notre Dame (2), rest of ACC (2).
𝗞𝗞𝗞𝗞𝗞𝗞𝗞𝗞𝗞𝗞𝗞𝗞𝗞𝗞𝗞.
— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) May 21, 2021
𝗭𝗘𝗥𝗢 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀. pic.twitter.com/8y1HYU0BDU
Thompson, a Second Team selection, has started 49 of the Tar Heels' 50 games in centerfield and has consistently been one of the league's top defenders in his first season in Chapel Hill.
He finished the regular season with a .321 average with 61 hits, eight doubles, seven home runs and 23 RBI. His average ranks 18th in the ACC.
A true five-tool player, Thompson has robbed a pair of home runs and has displayed a defensive prowess all season that has included numerous run-saving catches and has committed just one error in the field (.992 fld %). Through 50 games and 190 at-bats, he is slugging .474 and claims a .398 on-base percentage. He is tied for fourth in the ACC in stolen bases, swiping 14 bags in 16 attempts.
𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝟮.𝟵𝟱 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗗𝗦. 🤯
— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) May 19, 2021
(Per @UNCAnalytics)
Watch > https://t.co/2Oh7GRGmtz pic.twitter.com/hjtt6DUkdc
Love and Thompson look to lead Carolina to its eighth tournament championship beginning tomorrow (May 25) at 7 p.m. versus Pittsburgh.
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