University of North Carolina Athletics
Tuesday, March 11
Wilmington, NC
6 PM
North Carolina
at
UNCW
Photo by: Joe Bray
Diamond Heel Head East for Midweek Clash with UNCW
March 11, 2025 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Tar Heels hit the road in the midweek for the first time this season with a road trip east to Wilmington to take on UNCW on Tuesday night.
It is also the team's first true night game of the year, more feasible now that we've all sprung forward. Carolina comes into the matchup on a seven game win streak against the Seahawks and a six game win streak against sea-related mascots dating back to last year: the Stony Brook Seawolves (x3), LIU Sharks, UNCW and Miami Hurricanes.
Under head coach Scott Forbes, UNC is 59-22 against opponents from within the state of North Carolina. Junior Cam Padgett is slated to make his seventh career start and his first since helping the Tar Heels to a 13-1 win over Charlotte last season with no earned runs in 5.0 innings.
SCOUTING THE SEAHAWKS
➤ UNCW enters this game against North Carolina having just lost a series against No. 20 Southern Miss 1-2. The Seahawks won 6-3 on Friday in Hattiesburg before dropping the next two contests.
➤ The team's signature win came in a 6-2 upset of No. 4 Georgia in Wilmington, just four games into the season. Connor Mashburn threw six innings of no-hit work with seven strikeouts to hold the Dawgs at bay. UNCW scored six runs in the bottom of the first.
➤ UNC and UNCW's one common opponent so far is Coastal Carolina, whom the Seahawks fell to 6-1 in Conway.
➤ Their marquee series win thus far came from taking two games against Liberty at home.
➤ Tuesday's game will be the Tar Heels' first trip to Brooks Field since 2018, which was also the last time Carolina lost to the Seahawks.
➤ That season was the only time in the all-time series history UNCW won twice in the same year.Â
➤ UNCW Head Coach Randy Hood played minor league ball with Michael Jordan at Birmingham in 1994.
LAST TIME AGAINST UNCW
➤ In last season's lone matchup against the Seahawks, Carolina took an 11-0 run-rule win at home in Chapel Hill.
➤ Olin Johnson got the start and his first win in Carolina blue, going 4.0 innings with four strikeouts and only two hits allowed.
➤ Gavin Gallaher produced three runs from the leadoff spot while Luke Stevenson went 3-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored of his own.
➤ It was the program's largest shutout victory since an 11-0 win over Florida State in the 2022 season finale.
LAST WEEK ON THE HILL
➤ North Carolina started its week with a victory in their first ranked matchup of the season, walking-off No. 24 Coastal Carolina 5-4 in the 11th inning on Tuesday in Boshamer Stadium.
➤ A Gavin Gallaher sac-fly scored Jackson Van De Brake to break the deadlock. Padgett picked up the win in that game as well thanks to two crucial scoreless innings to keep Carolina in it in extras.
➤ On the weekend, the Heels hosted Stanford to open ACC play. The first-year members of the conference took two-of-three from UNC with an 11-1 run-rule in favor of Carolina the lone bright spot.
➤ In that offensive outpouring on Saturday, the Tar Heels put up a season-high four home runs to back up a stellar performance from Jake Knapp. The veteran continues to take positive steps in his return from Tommy John, throwing his first complete game in this one while only allowing one run on four hits.
NON-CON COMBAT
➤ The Heels have compiled an 88-30 (.746) record in games against non-ACC opponents under Forbes. The 2024 team was 24-6 outside of conference play.
➤ Since 2020, UNC has won 11 of its 12 three-game non-conference weekend series with a 29-6 mark in that span.
STOKING THE FLAMES
➤ First baseman Hunter Stokely has come out of the gates hot to start the year and nothing's been stopping him as he earned ACC Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career.
➤ The veteran had easily the best week of his collegiate baseball career from 2/24-3/2. In six games played, the Wilson, N.C. native slashed .524/.621/1.143 while racking up 11 hits, 11 RBIs, 10 runs, and 24 total bases.
➤ It is the best batting average and on-base percentage of any six game stretch in his career.
➤ He has five home runs already this year. His most in a season prior was six in 2023.
➤ Three of those long balls have been to the opposite field. He only had one oppo homer in his three previous seasons combined.
➤ On the season, he leads the team in batting average (.414, 13th in the ACC), slugging percentage (.724), and hits (24, 9th ACC).
KING KANE
➤ The Tar Heels' leadoff man has been everything you could want from that position this season, leading the team in OBP (.530) and making the most of it.
➤ He has started Carolina off with a base runner in eight of their games so far this year. 4 HBP, 2 1B, 1 3B, and 1 BB. He's scored on all eight occasions.
➤ He leads the team in runs scored (16, 5th ACC) and free passes (24) while sitting in a tie with Stokely for most extra base hits (8).
➤ With 13-13 stolen bases through 16 of 55 games, he is on pace to have the most SBs in a season since Brian Roberts broke the record in 1998 with 63.Â
➤ It's the most bases stolen by a Tar Heel through 16 games since Russ Adams had 18 in 2002 and he's the only one to have that many without being caught since 1998.
➤ Kepley ripped his fourth triple of the year against Stanford. He is now half way to the Carolina single season record (8, Brian Goodwin, 2010) and is one shy of being the first to hit five since 2017.
It is also the team's first true night game of the year, more feasible now that we've all sprung forward. Carolina comes into the matchup on a seven game win streak against the Seahawks and a six game win streak against sea-related mascots dating back to last year: the Stony Brook Seawolves (x3), LIU Sharks, UNCW and Miami Hurricanes.
Under head coach Scott Forbes, UNC is 59-22 against opponents from within the state of North Carolina. Junior Cam Padgett is slated to make his seventh career start and his first since helping the Tar Heels to a 13-1 win over Charlotte last season with no earned runs in 5.0 innings.
SCOUTING THE SEAHAWKS
➤ UNCW enters this game against North Carolina having just lost a series against No. 20 Southern Miss 1-2. The Seahawks won 6-3 on Friday in Hattiesburg before dropping the next two contests.
➤ The team's signature win came in a 6-2 upset of No. 4 Georgia in Wilmington, just four games into the season. Connor Mashburn threw six innings of no-hit work with seven strikeouts to hold the Dawgs at bay. UNCW scored six runs in the bottom of the first.
➤ UNC and UNCW's one common opponent so far is Coastal Carolina, whom the Seahawks fell to 6-1 in Conway.
➤ Their marquee series win thus far came from taking two games against Liberty at home.
➤ Tuesday's game will be the Tar Heels' first trip to Brooks Field since 2018, which was also the last time Carolina lost to the Seahawks.
➤ That season was the only time in the all-time series history UNCW won twice in the same year.Â
➤ UNCW Head Coach Randy Hood played minor league ball with Michael Jordan at Birmingham in 1994.
LAST TIME AGAINST UNCW
➤ In last season's lone matchup against the Seahawks, Carolina took an 11-0 run-rule win at home in Chapel Hill.
➤ Olin Johnson got the start and his first win in Carolina blue, going 4.0 innings with four strikeouts and only two hits allowed.
➤ Gavin Gallaher produced three runs from the leadoff spot while Luke Stevenson went 3-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored of his own.
➤ It was the program's largest shutout victory since an 11-0 win over Florida State in the 2022 season finale.
LAST WEEK ON THE HILL
➤ North Carolina started its week with a victory in their first ranked matchup of the season, walking-off No. 24 Coastal Carolina 5-4 in the 11th inning on Tuesday in Boshamer Stadium.
➤ A Gavin Gallaher sac-fly scored Jackson Van De Brake to break the deadlock. Padgett picked up the win in that game as well thanks to two crucial scoreless innings to keep Carolina in it in extras.
➤ On the weekend, the Heels hosted Stanford to open ACC play. The first-year members of the conference took two-of-three from UNC with an 11-1 run-rule in favor of Carolina the lone bright spot.
➤ In that offensive outpouring on Saturday, the Tar Heels put up a season-high four home runs to back up a stellar performance from Jake Knapp. The veteran continues to take positive steps in his return from Tommy John, throwing his first complete game in this one while only allowing one run on four hits.
NON-CON COMBAT
➤ The Heels have compiled an 88-30 (.746) record in games against non-ACC opponents under Forbes. The 2024 team was 24-6 outside of conference play.
➤ Since 2020, UNC has won 11 of its 12 three-game non-conference weekend series with a 29-6 mark in that span.
STOKING THE FLAMES
➤ First baseman Hunter Stokely has come out of the gates hot to start the year and nothing's been stopping him as he earned ACC Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career.
➤ The veteran had easily the best week of his collegiate baseball career from 2/24-3/2. In six games played, the Wilson, N.C. native slashed .524/.621/1.143 while racking up 11 hits, 11 RBIs, 10 runs, and 24 total bases.
➤ It is the best batting average and on-base percentage of any six game stretch in his career.
➤ He has five home runs already this year. His most in a season prior was six in 2023.
➤ Three of those long balls have been to the opposite field. He only had one oppo homer in his three previous seasons combined.
➤ On the season, he leads the team in batting average (.414, 13th in the ACC), slugging percentage (.724), and hits (24, 9th ACC).
KING KANE
➤ The Tar Heels' leadoff man has been everything you could want from that position this season, leading the team in OBP (.530) and making the most of it.
➤ He has started Carolina off with a base runner in eight of their games so far this year. 4 HBP, 2 1B, 1 3B, and 1 BB. He's scored on all eight occasions.
➤ He leads the team in runs scored (16, 5th ACC) and free passes (24) while sitting in a tie with Stokely for most extra base hits (8).
➤ With 13-13 stolen bases through 16 of 55 games, he is on pace to have the most SBs in a season since Brian Roberts broke the record in 1998 with 63.Â
➤ It's the most bases stolen by a Tar Heel through 16 games since Russ Adams had 18 in 2002 and he's the only one to have that many without being caught since 1998.
➤ Kepley ripped his fourth triple of the year against Stanford. He is now half way to the Carolina single season record (8, Brian Goodwin, 2010) and is one shy of being the first to hit five since 2017.
Players Mentioned
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