North Carolina was able to get the job done on the diamond against Holy Cross in its first NCAA tournament game, winning by a score of 4-0, led by Jake Knapp's 8 1/3 pitching performance.
Knapp completed his outing, allowing four hits and three walks but striking out seven batters, totaling a pitch count of 119. His continued dominance has been a huge factor in UNC's success, giving the program a good chance of bringing home a College World Series championship trophy in June.
Pat James makes a note on X (formerly Twitter) that Knapp's outing is the longest one since former UNC baseball pitcher Hobbs Johnson threw against NC State in the 2013 College World Series:
Knapp etches his name in Carolina baseball, adding on to an already impressive season where his record currently stands at 13-0. Opposing teams have been struggling to find a rhythm, and for Holy Cross, runners were on base throughout the game, but not enough damage was dealt to score.
Following Knapp's exit to the dugout, Forbes decided to put in freshman Walker McDuffie from Broadway, North Carolina. McDuffie held the fort down, completing the shutout against Holy Cross, gaining a strikeout in his appearance.
McDuffie held the fort down, completing the shutout against Holy Cross, gaining a strikeout in his appearance. The length Knapp provided was crucial, especially given the format of the NCAA Tournament. You never know when you're going to need your bullpen, and it's never good to put a heavy load on them, especially early in the tournament.
The UNC baseball program will play the winner of Nebraska and Oklahoma on Saturday at 6:00 PM EST inside Boshamer Stadium. While Knapp won't be on the mound, his impact in the tournament opener will certainly benefit this team as they look to continue their path to Omaha.