Duo Named To NCBWA Stopper Of The Year Preseason Watch List

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – UNC pitchers Dalton Pence and Matt Poston have been named to the initial watch list for the 2024 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I Baseball, the association announced Wednesday.

Pence and Poston are two of 10 ACC student-athletes that help make up the 73 player list.

Pence made 27 appearances as a redshirt freshman last season, including five starts. He compiled a 4-3 record with a pair of saves and a 3.33 ERA. Pence threw 48.2 innings with 50 strikeouts against 19 walks while holding opposing hitters to a .220 batting average.

Poston led the Tar Heels with 31 appearances, a team-best 1.90 ERA, and five saves in 2023. He began his Tar Heel career by tossing 15.2 scoreless innings. Poston struck out multiple batters in an inning or less seven times. He finished a team-best 15 games last season.

The Tar Heels open their 2024 campaign against Wagner on Friday, Feb. 16, inside Boshamer Stadium at 4 p.m. in game one of a three-game weekend series. Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday at noon, with the finale set for Sunday at 1 p.m.

2024 Season Tickets
Season tickets for the 2024 UNC baseball season are on sale now. Call the UNC Athletics Ticket Office at 919-962-2296 or click here to purchase your tickets. Season tickets start at $125 for general admission, with reserved chairback seating at $190. The Diamond Heels have 34 games scheduled at Boshamer Stadium this season, hosting NCAA Tournament participants Campbell, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, and UNCW, in addition to ACC series with Georgia Tech, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, and Virginia Tech.

Follow the Diamond Heels
For the latest information on the UNC baseball team, check out GoHeels.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Fans can also receive updates on UNC Athletics by downloading the GoHeels App from both the App Store and the Google Play Store.

Players Mentioned

Dalton Pence

Matt Poston

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