University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI
Duo Named To Stopper Midseason Watch List
April 24, 2024 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – UNC pitchers Matthew Matthijs and Dalton Pence have been named to the 2024 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List, the association announced Wednesday.
Matthijs leads all NCAA Division I pitchers with 11 victories and his 24 appearances are the most among ACC players, while he ranks third overall nationally. He owns a 3.29 ERA in 38.1 innings pitched with 40 strikeouts against nine walks. The Greenville, N.C., native has made 11 scoreless appearances of an inning or more, highlighted by a career-high 4.0 innings against Georgia Tech. He has a 4.4 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Pence has made 22 appearances on the mound with a 2-1 record and four saves. He boasts a 1.65 ERA and has limited opponents to a .165 batting average. The redshirt sophomore has struck out 40 batters in 32.2 innings pitched. He is tied for third in the ACC in appearances and fourth in saves.
UNC is one of only five schools with multiple players on the list, along with Arkansas, Lamar, Louisiana, and Oregon.
The NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award is given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball. Finalists will be announced on Wednesday, June 5, and the winner will be named on Friday, June 14, at the 2024 College World Series. Relievers not on the midseason list still have an opportunity to be named finalists for the award.
The No. 15 Tar Heels (31-10, 15-6 ACC) return to ACC play this weekend when they host Virginia Tech (26-12, 12-9). The series opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday. The three-game conference set will be streamed on ACC Network Extra and the ESPN app, with radio coverage available locally on WCHL (97.9 FM/1360 AM) and free live audio at goheels.com.
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.
Matthijs leads all NCAA Division I pitchers with 11 victories and his 24 appearances are the most among ACC players, while he ranks third overall nationally. He owns a 3.29 ERA in 38.1 innings pitched with 40 strikeouts against nine walks. The Greenville, N.C., native has made 11 scoreless appearances of an inning or more, highlighted by a career-high 4.0 innings against Georgia Tech. He has a 4.4 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Pence has made 22 appearances on the mound with a 2-1 record and four saves. He boasts a 1.65 ERA and has limited opponents to a .165 batting average. The redshirt sophomore has struck out 40 batters in 32.2 innings pitched. He is tied for third in the ACC in appearances and fourth in saves.
UNC is one of only five schools with multiple players on the list, along with Arkansas, Lamar, Louisiana, and Oregon.
The NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award is given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball. Finalists will be announced on Wednesday, June 5, and the winner will be named on Friday, June 14, at the 2024 College World Series. Relievers not on the midseason list still have an opportunity to be named finalists for the award.
The No. 15 Tar Heels (31-10, 15-6 ACC) return to ACC play this weekend when they host Virginia Tech (26-12, 12-9). The series opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday. The three-game conference set will be streamed on ACC Network Extra and the ESPN app, with radio coverage available locally on WCHL (97.9 FM/1360 AM) and free live audio at goheels.com.
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
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballMBB: Hubert Davis Post-WSSU Press Conference
Thursday, October 30
MBB: Tar Heels Dominate Winston-Salem State
Thursday, October 30
Tar Heel 1ON1: Season 2, Episode 2 (Shelby Barbee, Kiannah Pierce, Maddy May)
Wednesday, October 29
Blue Heaven: 2025 UNC Field Hockey, Episode 4
Wednesday, October 29