Latest news with #NationalPitcheroftheYear
USA Today
24-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where does UNC baseball land in final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll of 2025 season?
Is anyone else still thinking about UNC's sudden end to its 2025 baseball season? It still doesn't feel real that the UNC baseball team missed a second-consecutive trip to the College World Series, but virtually anything can happen in the wild game called baseball. North Carolina dominated Arizona, 18-2, in Game 1 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional. Virtually every starting Diamond Heel notched a hit, while five drove in multiple runners. Jake Knapp continued his undefeated streak, later earning National Pitcher of the Year honors. UNC's bats came to play in Game 2, but pitching was virtually non-existent in a tough loss. North Carolina's offense disappeared in Game 3, outside of Jackson Van De Brake's 3-run home run, but its young bullpen failed to back up Ryan Lynch's hot start. The Diamond Heels had a roster built to compete for a national championship, but they couldn't close out games when it mattered most. In one final USA TODAY Sports Coaches' Poll for the 2025 college baseball season, UNC ranks eighth, dropping seven spots from first overall. National champion LSU, rightfully so, leads the final poll. CWS runner-up Coastal Carolina ended second, Arkansas and Oregon State finished third and fourth respectfully, UCLA landed fifth, Louisville finished sixth, followed by Arizona as teams ahead of North Carolina. The Diamond Heels wave goodbye to plenty of offensive production, needing to replace all starters but Gavin Gallaher in their infield, plus starting catcher Luke Stevenson. Knapp is out of eligibility, so another ace needs to step up. UNC re-loaded ahead of its 2025 campaign, one in which it surpassed expectations. Will 2026 end in pure joy for North Carolina, or another gut-wrenching defeat? Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
UNC baseball ace named finalist for National Pitcher of the Year award
UNC baseball ace named finalist for National Pitcher of the Year award All year long, one pitcher for North Carolina has dominated over all others. Undefeated ace Jake Knapp, already named ACC Pitcher of the Year, is now one of five finalists for the National Pitcher of the Year from the College Baseball Hall of Fame. Knapp joins Gabe Craig from Baylor, Jacob Morrison from Coastal Carolina, Zan Taylor from UNC Wilmington, and Dylan Volantis from Texas. Three of the five finalists for the NPOY award hail from the Carolinas. Knapp finished his 2025 campaign with a 13-0 record and a 1.98 ERA. In 14 starts and 15 appearances, he threw 95.1 innings, allowing 21 earned runs on 63 hits with 85 strikeouts. Opposing batters hit .186 against the star pitcher. Knapp was tied with Zane Taylor for the third lowest ERA in the nation, just a hundreth over Evan Dempsey from FGCU. The Tar Heels ace also led all of college baseball with 13 wins on the season, tied with Ricky Ojeda from UC Irvine; however, Ojeda lost a game, Knapp hasn't. It is clear why the graduate right-hander is one of the best in the business, and he is getting the necessary recognition on the team, conference, and national levels. The winner of the prestigous award will be announced on June 13th, just a week and a half away. The inception of this award was in 2009, and since then, no UNC baseball pitcher has won the award. Knapp has a chance to not only be recognized as the best, but he can make UNC history in the process. Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Patrick Mahomes goes through the emotions during Texas Tech's dramatic walk-off win over Oklahoma at WCWS
Patrick Mahomes, seen here during a Red Raiders basketball game, is a fan of all things Texas Tech. (John E.) Patrick Mahomes is in many ways most certainly not like the rest of us. But he was every sports fan while watching his Red Raiders in Monday's dramatic Women's College World Series semifinal. The former Red Raiders quarterback hasn't been in the stands for Texas Tech's WCWS run, but he's been keeping a close watch. And he was rewarded on Monday during arguably the most exciting game of the tournament. Advertisement Texas Tech held a 2-0 lead heading into the top of the seventh inning and was three outs away from securing a spot in the championship series against Texas and eliminating juggernaut Oklahoma, which has won the last four WCWS titles. All-America pitcher and National Pitcher of the Year NiJaree Canady secured the first two outs of the inning to get within one out of a complete game shutout for Texas Tech. She worked Oklahoma junior Abigale Dayton to an 0-2 count. But she didn't get the third strike. With a runner on first, Dayton lifted Canady's 0-2 offering over the right-field wall to tie the game at 2-2 and keep Oklahoma's championship hopes alive. Just seconds later, Mahomes reacted on social media. He was understandably disappointed. Canady got the third out of the inning with no more damage, and Texas Tech still faced a chance to win the game in regulation in the bottom of the seventh. Advertisement There, the Red Raiders put runners on second and third base with one out on a single by Mihyia Davis and a double by Hailey Toney. Lauren Allred took the plate with multiple avenues to plate the game-winning run. She delivered with a sacrifice run to right field. Davis tagged up from third base, and the throw home missed the target, allowing Davis to score the walk-off winner without a play at the plate for a 3-2 Texas Tech win. Mahomes reacted again, his mood having taken a dramatic turn for the better. Mahomes' Chiefs started a round of OTAs on Monday that will end on Wednesday, the same day as Texas Tech's Game 1 against Texas. So he'll have a chance to catch at least one game in person if he decides to make the trek from Kansas City to Oklahoma City. But even if he doesn't, he'll almost certainly be watching as the Red Raiders seek to win the program's first national championship against an in-state rival.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Patrick Mahomes goes through the emotions during Texas Tech's dramatic walk-off win over Oklahoma at WCWS
Patrick Mahomes, seen here during a Red Raiders basketball game, is a fan of all things Texas Tech. (John E.) Patrick Mahomes is in many ways most certainly not like the rest of us. But he was every sports fan while watching his Red Raiders in Monday's dramatic Women's College World Series semifinal. The former Red Raiders quarterback hasn't been in the stands for Texas Tech's WCWS run, but he's been keeping a close watch. And he was rewarded on Monday during arguably the most exciting game of the tournament. Advertisement Texas Tech held a 2-0 lead heading into the top of the seventh inning and was three outs away from securing a spot in the championship series against Texas and eliminating juggernaut Oklahoma, which has won the last four WCWS titles. All-America pitcher and National Pitcher of the Year NiJaree Canady secured the first two outs of the inning to get within one out of a complete game shutout for Texas Tech. She worked Oklahoma junior Abigale Dayton to an 0-2 count. But she didn't get the third strike. With a runner on first, Dayton lifted Canady's 0-2 offering over the right field wall to tie the game at 2-2 and keep Oklahoma's championship hopes alive. Just seconds later, Mahomes reacted on social media. He was understandably disappointed. Canady got the third out of the inning with no more damage, and Texas Tech still faced a chance to win the game in regulation in the bottom of the seventh. Advertisement There, the Red Raiders put runners on second and third base with one out on a single by Mihyia Davis and a double by Hailey Toney. Lauren Allred took the plate with multiple avenues to plate the game-winning run. She delivered with a sacrifice run to right field. Davis tagged up from third base, and the throw home missed the target, allowing Davis to score the walk-off winner without a play at the plate for a 3-2 Texas Tech win. Mahomes reacted again, his mood having taken a dramatic turn for the better. Mahomes' Chiefs started a round of OTA's on Monday that will end on Wednesday, the same day as Texas Tech's Game 1 against Texas. So he'll have a chance to catch at least one game in person if he decides to make the trek from Kansas City to Oklahoma City. But even if he doesn't, he'll almost certainly be watching as the Red Raiders seek to win the program's first national championship against an in-state rival.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tennessee upsets top-seeded Texas to reach semifinals of SEC Tournament
HOOVER, Ala. (WATE) — Gavin Kilen drove in three runs in extra innings to help lead the Vols to a 7-5 win over top-seeded Texas in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. SEC Pitcher of the Year Liam Doyle was given the start, but he struggled. The Vols fell behind 4-0 after four innings. Tennessee's offense came alive in the back half of the game. Cannon Peebles brought home Tennessee's first two runs with a single to center. Liam Doyle named National Pitcher of the Year semifinalist UT put two more on the board in the sixth inning. Dean Curly had a bases-loaded walk, and Reese Chapman drove in his 48th RBI of the season with a sac fly. The game went to extra innings. Kilen gave Tennessee its first lead with his 15th home run of the year, but Texas drew even on an RBI single by Kimble Schuessler. It took till the 12th inning to break the tie again. Kilen smacked a double into the right-center gap. Peebles and Jay Abernathy both scored. Tennessee's Danny White named Athletic Director of the Year Brandon Arvidson pitched one of the best games of his career. He threw 5.1 innings with nine strikeouts and no earned runs. Nate Snead closed the game down by completing 2.2 innings with three strikeouts. UP NEXT: The Vols advance to the semifinals, where they'll face the winner between Oklahoma and Vanderbilt. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
