Baseball Faces The Phoenix

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Tar Heels will make the short trek down I-40 on Tuesday night to take on in-state rivals Elon at 6 p.m. in Latham Park. It is the Diamond Heels' first trip to the home of the Phoenix since 2015.

UNC holds a 40-9 advantage in the all-time series between the two programs and have won the last 16 contests dating back to 2010. It will be the ninth game the two teams have played in Elon, N.C. Carolina is 6-2 in those matchups.

The Phoenix's last win over the Heels came at home on April 6, 2010 by a score of 4-2. The pair played a tight 8-7 contest last season, propelled to victory by a Vance Honeycutt grand slam in the fifth inning. Matthew Matthijs picked up the first of his ACC leading 12th victory.

SCHEDULE
Tuesday, April 8 - 6 PM ET
Latham Park - Elon, N.C.
Watch: FloCollege
Listen: WCHL & GoHeels.com

#16 North Carolina Tar Heels (24-8, 8-7 ACC)
Head Coach: Scott Forbes
Record at North Carolina: 178-97 (5th Season)
Career Record: Same
Career vs. Elon: 3-0

Elon Phoenix (11-20, 3-6 CAA)
Head Coach: Mike Kennedy
Record at Elon: 868-705-3 (29th Season)
Career Record: Same
Career vs. UNC: 4-26

THE BEST BLUE
➤ North Carolina claimed a series win over bitter rivals Duke this past weekend, winning on Thursday and Saturday to push their streak to six straight series victories over the Blue Devils.
➤ Saturday's rubber match lasted 14 innings across 5 hours and 15 minutes, tied for the longest game in the rivalry's 312 game history.
➤ Alex Madera made the game ending play in both contests. First he turned a miraculous double play to put Duke away in game one before chopping a single to secure a walk-off win on Saturday.
➤ Jackson Van De Brake was phenomenal all weekend, batting .538 with seven hits, five RBIs, and 12 total bases including his first home run of the season. Vandy had four hits on Sunday which was the most of any single game in his college career.
➤ Jake Knapp picked up his sixth win of the season with a 7.0 inning, four hit and two run effort. He is the first Carolina pitcher to go 6 2/3 innings or more in five straight starts since Zac Gallen to begin the 2016 season.

HISTORY ON THE HILL
➤ North Carolina baseball did on Tuesday night what it had not done yet this century, throwing a no-hitter in its run-rule 11-1 win over Gardner-Webb.
➤ It was the program's first combined no-no since Chris Elmore and Ryan Earey kept Towson off the board in March of 1999. It's just the program's third no-hitter of any kind since at least 1978.
➤ UNC is now one of just three schools to have thrown a no-hitter in both baseball and softball in 2025.
➤ Forbes was a volunteer assistant for UNC's last no-no in 1999. It was the first time being a part of one for pitching coach Bryant Gaines.
➤ Folger Boaz (3.0), Olin Johnson (3.0) and Camron Seagraves (1.0) were phenomenal throughout, logging eight Ks and just one walk on the historic night.
➤ While the pitchers were busy shoving on the mound, the Carolina bats were carrying their weight to wrap this game up in seven on Tuesday night. 11 runs on 10 hits powered the Heels to their third run-rule win of the season.

NON-CON COMBAT
➤ The Heels have compiled a 92-31 (.748) 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.

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Players Mentioned

Folger Boaz

Vance Honeycutt

Olin Johnson

Jake Knapp

Alex Madera

Matthew Matthijs

Camron Seagraves

Jackson Van De Brake