University of North Carolina Athletics
Saturday, February 22
Durham, N.C.
12:30 PM
North Carolina
vs
East Carolina
Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI
Heels Ready For Traveling Series With ECU
February 21, 2025 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Tar Heels are prepared for their annual face-off with in-state rivals East Carolina this weekend. The two historically great programs are once again scheduled to play a three-game series spanning three cities in three days
The weekend was slated to kick off in Greenville, but weather forced a slight rearrangement. The kickoff contest will now be the neutral site game at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
SCHEDULE
Game 1: Saturday, Feb. 22 - 12:30 PM - Duham, N.C.
Game 2: Sunday, Feb. 23 - 1 PM - Chapel Hill, N.C.Â
Game 3: Monday, Feb. 24 - 5 PM - Greenville, N.C.
No. 6 North Carolina (4-0, 0-0 ACC)
Head Coach...........................................Scott Forbes
Career Record........................158-89 (Fifth Season)
Record at North Carolina..............................Same
Career vs. ECU................................................5-6
East Carolina (2-2, 0-0 AAC)
Head Coach............................................Cliff Godwin
Career Record.................. 399-189-1 (11th Season)
Record at Kansas State.................................Same
Career vs. UNC.............................................9-10
JUNGLE JAM
➤ In the 98 games between these two teams, this will be the second played in Durham. UNC leads 6-4 in neutral site matchups. Only twice have the teams played outside of North Carolina, both in South Carolina.
➤ A 5-4 win for Carolina was the result of the last game at the DBAP between these two teams. The Tar Heels were led by two hits and two RBIs from Michael Busch.
➤ This game marks the first time since the 2023 ACC tournament that UNC has played at the DBAP, a place where the Tar Heels have twice been crowned ACC Tournament Champions, most recently in 2019.
SCOUTING THE PIRATES
➤ ECU comes into this series with a 2-2 record, winning their opening weekend against George Mason before dropping a midweek clash with Campbell 3-2.
➤ Coach Godwin returned 16 players from a 2024 team that won its fifth straight AAC regular season title with a 46-17 record (19-8 AAC).
➤ The Pirates hosted their NCAA Regional, losing in the championship game to the No. 4 seed Evansville.Â
➤ It was the fifth year in a row they reached a regional final and the eighth regional appearance under Godwin.
➤ Baseball America awarded both of the Preseason AAC player honors to the Pirates, selecting second baseman Dixon Williams as player of the year and freshman Sean Jenkins as pitcher of the year.
CAGED THE CATS
➤ On Tuesday, Carolina took a hectic 12-9 win over Kansas State at the Bosh. It was the first time since May 13, 2023 against NC State that UNC had scored that much without a homer.
➤ UNC's offense has won with small ball to open the year. They have yet to hit a home run and it's the first time the Heels have gone four straight without a long ball since May of 2018.
➤ Three different times the Wildcats took the lead on the night, and three different times UNC answered immediately in their bottom half of the inning. At no point did an inning end with Kansas State in the lead.
YOUNG BUCKS BRING THE HEAT
➤ Carolina has called upon three true freshmen to deliver in big spots early this season and each showed the talent that got them to Chapel Hill in the first place.
➤ First, in the back end of the opening day double header, the Lee County legend Walker McDuffie was the first on the scene. He entered with two runners on and finished with no earned runs, five strikeouts and the win after 3.2 innings pitched.
➤ Ellerbe, N.C. native Camron Seagraves has thrown twice already. He worked out of a jam in his debut before picking up the win against Kansas State.Â
➤ Flamethrower Ryan Lynch turned heads in his first outing in picking up the win. 4.0 innings of seven strikeout and no walk work is quite the first impression.
➤ Lynch's seven Ks were the most by a Carolina pitcher in their collegiate debut since Max Carlson racked up eight on Feb. 20, 2021.
➤ The true freshman trio alongside the young-for-his-class Jason Decaro own all four of the Tar Heels' wins so far this year. Lynch is the oldest of the group at 19.
RETURN OF THE KNAPP
➤ While the youngsters may have stolen the early headlines, the return of veteran arm Jake Knapp to the starting rotation is a huge boost for Carolina.
➤ The Greensboro, N.C., native was slated to be the Friday starter for the Tar Heels going into the 2024 season before sustaining a season-ending arm injury in the preseason.
➤ "Coach Knapp," as Forbes affectionately calls him, stayed locked in with the team despite his situation, attending every practice, game, and meeting. The coaching staff credits his leadership as a key factor in their run to Omaha in 2024.
➤ 623 days since his last appearance, the second year captain retook the mound on opening day 2025. He threw three innings, allowing only two hits and racking up three strikeouts.
TRANSFER OUTFIELDERS LEAD THE WAY
➤ The starting outfield for the Tar Heels this season is made up of three fresh faces: Rom Kellis V (left), Kane Kepley (center) and Tyson Bass (right).
➤ The trio also make up three of the first four spots in the batting order: Kepley (1), Bass (2), Kellis V (4).Â
➤ Their impact on the team was felt immediately both in the field and at the plate as they look to fill the shoes of 2024's excellent outfield lead by the legendary Vance Honeycutt.
➤ In game one, Kepley began writing his own legend in Carolina blue by robbing a home run in dead center to keep Texas Tech off the board. The play was good enough to wind up at No. 2 on the SportsCenter Top 10 the next day.
➤ Not to be outdone, Bass made a diving play in game three to deny Tech a leadoff double in the third inning of a two score game.
➤ At the plate, the trio has combined for 13 hits, 12 runs, and 11 RBIs to start the year.
➤ Kepley and Bass at the top of the order have gotten on base in back-to-back at bats five times this season and at least once in every game, leading to seven runs for Carolina.
The weekend was slated to kick off in Greenville, but weather forced a slight rearrangement. The kickoff contest will now be the neutral site game at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
SCHEDULE
Game 1: Saturday, Feb. 22 - 12:30 PM - Duham, N.C.
Game 2: Sunday, Feb. 23 - 1 PM - Chapel Hill, N.C.Â
Game 3: Monday, Feb. 24 - 5 PM - Greenville, N.C.
No. 6 North Carolina (4-0, 0-0 ACC)
Head Coach...........................................Scott Forbes
Career Record........................158-89 (Fifth Season)
Record at North Carolina..............................Same
Career vs. ECU................................................5-6
East Carolina (2-2, 0-0 AAC)
Head Coach............................................Cliff Godwin
Career Record.................. 399-189-1 (11th Season)
Record at Kansas State.................................Same
Career vs. UNC.............................................9-10
JUNGLE JAM
➤ In the 98 games between these two teams, this will be the second played in Durham. UNC leads 6-4 in neutral site matchups. Only twice have the teams played outside of North Carolina, both in South Carolina.
➤ A 5-4 win for Carolina was the result of the last game at the DBAP between these two teams. The Tar Heels were led by two hits and two RBIs from Michael Busch.
➤ This game marks the first time since the 2023 ACC tournament that UNC has played at the DBAP, a place where the Tar Heels have twice been crowned ACC Tournament Champions, most recently in 2019.
SCOUTING THE PIRATES
➤ ECU comes into this series with a 2-2 record, winning their opening weekend against George Mason before dropping a midweek clash with Campbell 3-2.
➤ Coach Godwin returned 16 players from a 2024 team that won its fifth straight AAC regular season title with a 46-17 record (19-8 AAC).
➤ The Pirates hosted their NCAA Regional, losing in the championship game to the No. 4 seed Evansville.Â
➤ It was the fifth year in a row they reached a regional final and the eighth regional appearance under Godwin.
➤ Baseball America awarded both of the Preseason AAC player honors to the Pirates, selecting second baseman Dixon Williams as player of the year and freshman Sean Jenkins as pitcher of the year.
CAGED THE CATS
➤ On Tuesday, Carolina took a hectic 12-9 win over Kansas State at the Bosh. It was the first time since May 13, 2023 against NC State that UNC had scored that much without a homer.
➤ UNC's offense has won with small ball to open the year. They have yet to hit a home run and it's the first time the Heels have gone four straight without a long ball since May of 2018.
➤ Three different times the Wildcats took the lead on the night, and three different times UNC answered immediately in their bottom half of the inning. At no point did an inning end with Kansas State in the lead.
YOUNG BUCKS BRING THE HEAT
➤ Carolina has called upon three true freshmen to deliver in big spots early this season and each showed the talent that got them to Chapel Hill in the first place.
➤ First, in the back end of the opening day double header, the Lee County legend Walker McDuffie was the first on the scene. He entered with two runners on and finished with no earned runs, five strikeouts and the win after 3.2 innings pitched.
➤ Ellerbe, N.C. native Camron Seagraves has thrown twice already. He worked out of a jam in his debut before picking up the win against Kansas State.Â
➤ Flamethrower Ryan Lynch turned heads in his first outing in picking up the win. 4.0 innings of seven strikeout and no walk work is quite the first impression.
➤ Lynch's seven Ks were the most by a Carolina pitcher in their collegiate debut since Max Carlson racked up eight on Feb. 20, 2021.
➤ The true freshman trio alongside the young-for-his-class Jason Decaro own all four of the Tar Heels' wins so far this year. Lynch is the oldest of the group at 19.
RETURN OF THE KNAPP
➤ While the youngsters may have stolen the early headlines, the return of veteran arm Jake Knapp to the starting rotation is a huge boost for Carolina.
➤ The Greensboro, N.C., native was slated to be the Friday starter for the Tar Heels going into the 2024 season before sustaining a season-ending arm injury in the preseason.
➤ "Coach Knapp," as Forbes affectionately calls him, stayed locked in with the team despite his situation, attending every practice, game, and meeting. The coaching staff credits his leadership as a key factor in their run to Omaha in 2024.
➤ 623 days since his last appearance, the second year captain retook the mound on opening day 2025. He threw three innings, allowing only two hits and racking up three strikeouts.
TRANSFER OUTFIELDERS LEAD THE WAY
➤ The starting outfield for the Tar Heels this season is made up of three fresh faces: Rom Kellis V (left), Kane Kepley (center) and Tyson Bass (right).
➤ The trio also make up three of the first four spots in the batting order: Kepley (1), Bass (2), Kellis V (4).Â
➤ Their impact on the team was felt immediately both in the field and at the plate as they look to fill the shoes of 2024's excellent outfield lead by the legendary Vance Honeycutt.
➤ In game one, Kepley began writing his own legend in Carolina blue by robbing a home run in dead center to keep Texas Tech off the board. The play was good enough to wind up at No. 2 on the SportsCenter Top 10 the next day.
➤ Not to be outdone, Bass made a diving play in game three to deny Tech a leadoff double in the third inning of a two score game.
➤ At the plate, the trio has combined for 13 hits, 12 runs, and 11 RBIs to start the year.
➤ Kepley and Bass at the top of the order have gotten on base in back-to-back at bats five times this season and at least once in every game, leading to seven runs for Carolina.
Players Mentioned
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