CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN) — The late-inning, come-from-behind drama that was present in so many games in last weekend’s Chapel Hill Regional carried into the super regional round, as No. 4 North Carolina needed a walk-off home run from star player Vance Honeycutt to win Friday night.
Saturday night, Honeycutt continued his scoring — with a home run on the game’s first pitch help lift UNC past West Virginia.
Tonight, the Tar Heels (46-14) can lock up a spot in the 2024 NCAA College World Series with one more win over the West Virginia Mountaineers (36-23).
First pitch of Game 2 will be thrown shortly after 8 p.m. at Boshamer Stadium, with WVU designated as the home team.
After trailing 6-5 going into the bottom of the ninth inning, UNC got a lead-off home run from catcher Luke Stevenson to tie the game. One out later, Alex Madera singled to center, chasing Mountaineers’ ace Derek Clark, who had pitched the entire game for WVU up to that point.
Then, after Colby Wilkerson then struck out against reliever Aidan Major, Honeycutt came to the plate with the Tar Heels down to their last out. On the fourth pitch of the at-bat, he launched a no-doubter over the left field fence. The walk-off win gave UNC their 36th win at home this season.
If Carolina wins, the Diamond Heels will be heading to Omaha as one of the eight teams in the College World Series. They’ll join fellow Atlantic Coast Conference teams Florida State and Virginia, who both advanced earlier Saturday.
A West Virginia win tonight means a winner-take-all Game 3 tomorrow at Boshamer Stadium.