# 2023 North Carolina Tar Heels baseball team

The 2023 North Carolina Tar Heels baseball team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the 2023 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Tar Heels played their home games at Boshamer Stadium, and were a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They were led by head coach Scott Forbes, who was in his third season. He was assisted by Bryant Gaines, Jesse Wierzbicki, and Jason Howell. Dave Arendas served as director of operations.
The Tar Heels finished 36–24 overall and 14–14 in ACC play to finish in fourth place in the Coastal Division. They finished tied for seventh/eight in seeding for the ACC Tournament. They won the tiebreaker and were the seventh seed for the tournament. They were placed in a Pool with second seed Virginia and eleventh seed Georgia Tech. The Tar Heels won both of their pool games and advanced to the Semifinals, where they lost to eventual champions Clemson. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and were placed as the third seed in the Terre Haute regional. They lost to Iowa in the opening game, but defeated Wright State to force an elimination game versus Iowa. The Tar Heels lost 6–5 in thirteen innings to end their season.

## Previous season

In Forbes' second year at the helm, the Tar Heels improved from their 2021 campaign. Finishing the season 42–22, the 2022 Tar Heels won the ACC Tournament and hosted both an NCAA Tournament Regional and Super Regional. Freshman sensation Vance Honeycutt broke out in a big way, leading the Tar Heels in many batting statistics en route to winning the ACC Freshman of the Year award. They were swept by Arkansas in the Chapel Hill Super Regional, denying Forbes his first College World Series appearance as a head coach.

## Personnel
### Roster

Class Listing as reflected on GoHeels.com

### Coaching Staff
## Schedule and results

Legend :
| | Win |
| | Loss |
| | Postponement |
| Bold | North Carolina team member |
| * | Non-Conference game |
| † | Make-Up Game |
2023 North Carolina Tar Heels Baseball Schedule & Results :
Regular Season :
February (5–3)
DateOpponentRankSite/StadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall RecordACC Record
February 17Seton Hall*No. 12Boshamer Stadium Chapel Hill, NCL 8–10Payero (1–0)Eaise (0–1)None2,5820–1–
February 18Seton Hall*No. 12Boshamer StadiumW 11–2Padgett (1–0)Frontera (0–1)None3,0491–1–
February 19Seton Hall*No. 12Boshamer StadiumW 4–2Pence (1–0)Downing (0–1)Peterson (1)2,6322–1–
February 21Radford*No. 12Boshamer StadiumW 14–2Percival (1–0)Seitz (0–1)None2,3243–1–
February 22Longwood*No. 12Boshamer StadiumW 10–0Knapp (1–0)Taylor (0–1)Eaise (1)2,0134–1–
February 24at No. 11 East Carolina*No. 12Clark–LeClair Stadium Greenville, NCL 5–6Lunsford-Shenkman (1–1)Pence (1–1)Root (1)6,0034–2–
February 25at No. 11 East Carolina*No. 12Clark–LeClair StadiumPostponed (inclement weather) Makeup: May 3
February 26No. 11 East Carolina*No. 12Boshamer StadiumL 5–6Ritchie (1–0)Szestowicki (0–1)Spivey (1)4,0424–3–
February 28VCU*No. 13Boshamer StadiumW 10–4Peterson (1–0)Peters (1–1)None1,9745–3– :
March (14–4)
DateOpponentRankSite/StadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall RecordACC Record
March 1VCU*No. 13Boshamer StadiumW 14–10Eaise (1–1)Walton (0–1)None2,0286–3–
March 3Stony Brook*No. 13Boshamer StadiumW 3–2 (11)Poston (1–0)O'Neill (0–2)None2,1047–3–
March 4Stony Brook*No. 13Boshamer StadiumW 7–5Bovair (1–0)Fero (0–2)None1,3388–3–
March 5Stony Brook*No. 13Boshamer StadiumW 15–4Knapp (2–0)Smink (0–3)None2,9029–3–
March 7Western Carolina*No. 14Boshamer StadiumW 8–4 (5)Percival (2–0)Bright (0–1)None2,33410–3–
March 8Penn State*No. 14Boshamer StadiumW 15–5Berkwich (1–0)Miller (1–2)None1,89611–3–
March 10No. 17 VirginiaNo. 14Boshamer StadiumL 3–7Tonas (1–0)Carlson (0–1)Berry (2)1,96011–40–1
March 11No. 17 VirginiaNo. 14Boshamer StadiumL 4–8Hodorovich (1–0)Bovair (1–1)None3,16211–50–2
March 11No. 17 VirginiaNo. 14Boshamer StadiumW 6–0Poston (2–0)O'Connor (1–1)None3,10312–51–2
March 14at Charlotte*No. 18Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium Charlotte, NCW 16–3Eaise (2–1)Spolyar (1–2)None1,52213–5–
March 15High Point*No. 18Boshamer StadiumW 16–2Sandy (1–0)Duffy (0–2)None1,76914–5–
March 17at PittsburghNo. 18Charles L. Cost Field Pittsburgh, PAW 17–7Bovair (2–1)Sokol (2–1)None28915–52–2
March 18at PittsburghNo. 18Charles L. Cost FieldCanceled (inclement weather)
March 19at PittsburghNo. 18Charles L. Cost FieldCanceled (inclement weather)
March 21NC A&T*No. 15Boshamer StadiumW 6–4Sandy (2–0)Carter (1–1)Poston (1)2,06716–5–
March 23DukeNo. 15Boshamer StadiumW 6–3Carlson (1–0)Porksch (2–1)Poston (2)3,47117–53–2
March 24DukeNo. 15Boshamer StadiumL 5–8Oschell III (2–0)Matthijs (0–1)Tallon (4)4,01117–63–3
March 25DukeNo. 15Boshamer StadiumW 5–3Knapp (3–0)Gow (2–2)Sandy (1)3,96918–64–3
March 28No. 19 Coastal Carolina*No. 13Boshamer StadiumL 7–12Sharkey (3–0)Berkwich (1–1)None2,55418–7–
March 31at Notre DameNo. 13Frank Eck Stadium South Bend, INW 10–8Berkwich (2–1)Bosch (0–1)Eaise (2)30219–75–3 :
April (9–9)
DateOpponentRankSite/StadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall RecordACC Record
April 2at Notre DameNo. 13Frank Eck StadiumW 5–2Bovair (3–1)Findlay (4–1)Eaise (3)N/A20–76–3
April 2at Notre DameNo. 13Frank Eck StadiumL 1–9Tyrell (5–1)Knapp (3–1)None84720–86–4
April 4vs. No. 6 South Carolina*No. 13Truist Field Charlotte, NCL 0–5Proctor (2–0)Poston (2–1)None6,27720–9–
April 6at Georgia TechNo. 13Russ Chandler Stadium Atlanta, GAW 8–1Carlson (2–1)Brown (1–2)None1,23521–97–4
April 7at Georgia TechNo. 13Russ Chandler StadiumW 10–6Bovair (4–1)Schmolke (4–1)None1,07622–98–4
April 7at Georgia TechNo. 13Russ Chandler StadiumL 4–8King (3–0)Knapp (3–2)None1,42722–108–5
April 11Queens*No. 13Boshamer StadiumW 10–6Padgett (2–0)Offschanka (0–4)Eaise (4)2,57223–10–
April 13Miami (FL)No. 13Boshamer StadiumL 4–5Walters (3–0)Eaise (2–2)None3,58723–118–6
April 14Miami (FL)No. 13Boshamer StadiumW 9–8 (11)Pry (1–0)Gallo (0–3)None3,05424–119–6
April 15Miami (FL)No. 13Boshamer StadiumL 3–4Chestnutt (3–0)Knapp (3–3)Torres (2)3,69424–129–7
April 18Charlotte*No. 18Boshamer StadiumW 5–3Pence (2–1)Kramer (2–3)Eaise (5)2,95925–12–
April 21No. 20 Boston CollegeNo. 18Boshamer StadiumL 8–9 (10)Roman (2–0)Eaise (2–3)Tonghini (2)4,01225–139–8
April 22No. 20 Boston CollegeNo. 18Boshamer StadiumL 4–9Coon (1–0)Berkwich (2–2)Ryan (2)2,99125–149–9
April 23No. 20 Boston CollegeNo. 18Boshamer StadiumL 2–6Schroeder (5–2)Padgett (2–1)None3,59525–159–10
April 25UNCW*Boshamer StadiumW 18–2Pence (3–1)Lawson (1–1)None2,42726–15–
April 28at Virginia TechEnglish Field Blacksburg, VA0–7Arguelles (2–1)Bovair (4–2)None65826–169–11
April 29at Virginia TechEnglish FieldW 12–8Carlson (3–1)Hackenberg (4–5)Poston (3)2,23127–1610–11
April 29at Virginia TechEnglish FieldW 13–7Peterson (2–0)Higgins (2–2)None2,36328–1611–11 :
May (5–5)
DateOpponentRankSite/StadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall RecordACC Record
May 2No. 13 Campbell*Boshamer StadiumL 5–6Cummings (3–1)Poston (2–2)Rund (5)3,16328–17–
May 3at No. 14 East Carolina*Clark–LeClair StadiumW 2–1Pence (4–1)Hunter (3–2)Carlson (1)5,99129–17–
May 9Gardner–Webb*Boshamer StadiumW 5–4Eaise (3–3)Fox (3–3)Poston (4)2,95530–17–
May 11NC StateBoshamer StadiumW 9–8Poston (3–2)Fritton (3–4)None3,24231–1712–11
May 12NC StateBoshamer StadiumW 9–3Carlson (5–3)Willadsen (5–4)None3,58432–1713–11
May 13NC StateBoshamer StadiumW 12–2Knapp (4–3)Highfill (5–2)None3,50233–1714–11
May 16at No. 8 Coastal Carolina*Springs Brooks Stadium Conway, SCL 6–8Billings (2–0)Bovair (4–3)Sharkey (7)2,32233–18–
May 18at No. 7 ClemsonDoug Kingsmore Stadium Clemson, SCL 7–14Clayton (7–0)Carlson (4–2)None4,10233–1914–12
May 19at No. 7 ClemsonDoug Kingsmore StadiumL 4–5Ammons (2–0)Poston (3–3)None4,64433–2014–13
May 20at No. 7 ClemsonDoug Kingsmore StadiumL 3–1Grice (7–1)Pence (4–2)Hughes (2)4,58933–2114–14 :
Postseason :
ACC Tournament (2–1)
DateOpponentRankSite/StadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall RecordACCT Record
May 23vs. (11) Georgia Tech(7)Durham Bulls Athletic Park Durham, NCW 11–5Peterson (3–0)King (6–2)Poston (5)2,04834–211–0
May 25No. 12 (2) Virginia(7)Durham Bulls Athletic Park Durham, NCW 10–2Knapp (5–3)Early (10–2)Pence (1)4,08435–212–0
May 27No. 6 Clemson(7)Durham Bulls Athletic Park Durham, NCL 4–10Grice (8–1)Bovair (4–4)None3,14735–222–1 :
NCAA Tournament (1–2)
DateOpponentRankSite/StadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall RecordNCAAT Record
June 2vs. (2) Iowa(3)Sycamore Stadium Terre Haute, INL 4–5Marcus (5–2)Knapp (5–4)Llewellyn (4)1,69035–230–1
June 3vs. (4) Wright State(3)Sycamore Stadium Terre Haute, INW 5–0Carlson (5–2)Stofel (5–6)Pence (2)1,62436–231–1
June 4vs. (2) Iowa(3)Sycamore Stadium Terre Haute, INL 5–6 (13)Christophers (5–1)Pence (4–3)None1,37736–241–2 :
Rankings from D1Baseball

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Final |
| Coaches' | 12 | 12* | 21 | 17 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 16 | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV* | RV* | RV |
| Baseball America | 17 | 16 | 22 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | —* | —* | — |
| Collegiate Baseball^ | 11 | 13 | 21 | 21 | 25 | 21 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NCBWA† | 13 | 14 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 25 | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV* | RV |
| D1Baseball | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | —* | —* | — |
^ Collegiate Baseball ranked 40 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranked 30 teams weekly during the season. † NCBWA ranks 35 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season. * A new poll was not released for this week, so for comparison purposes, the previous week's ranking is inserted in this week's slot.