Andrew’s Carolina Chapel Hill Regional MVPs
Carolina handled business on its home field, going unbeaten across three games to claim the Chapel Hill Regional title. After opening the weekend with a win over VCU, the Tar Heels defeated East Carolina in back-to-back matchups to move one step closer to Omaha.
Andrew breaks down the Tar Heels who stood out to him most during the regional run.
Andrew’s MVPs highlight the players who made the biggest impact, focusing on moments that matter, not just the stats.
Erik Paulsen: 6-12 (.500), 3 2B, 6 RBIs, 2 walks
Paulsen had multiple hits in all three of UNC’s games this weekend en route to being named the Chapel Hill regional’s Most Outstanding Player. Along with a fantastic performance over the three-game stretch, Paulsen also provided one of the best quotes of the weekend. When asked about many people dubbing the Chapel Hill regional as the “regional of death,” he responded with “Yeah, we knew it was the region of death for everybody else.”
Footage from ACC Network
Colin Hynek: Game tying 3-run home run in game 2 vs. ECU
UNC may have been facing off against ECU in the winner’s bracket on Saturday, but it definitely felt like a must-win game for both teams. In the 4th inning, the Pirates were up 3-0 with all of the momentum. Colin Hynek came to the plate with two runners on and swung through the first pitch he saw. Scott Forbes immediately called a timeout and spoke with Hynek for a moment. The very next pitch he saw went 400+ feet over the centerfield wall, tying the game. It was undoubtedly the biggest hit of the season for a North Carolina team that has had plenty of big hits this year. The momentum flipped towards UNC, and the Heels ultimately got the win, 7-5.
Footage from ACC Network
Jackson Rose: 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 hits, 4 Ks, 1 walk in the regional final
UNC has several talented arms, both in the weekend rotation and coming out of the bullpen. And with guys like Caden Glauber and Jason DeCaro, a guy like Jackson Rose is often overlooked. But on Sunday, in the regional championship game, Rose took center stage and showed why he’s one of the many special young pitchers on a loaded UNC roster. He was almost perfect in four innings of relief, giving up no hits and just one walk, closing out the game for the Tar Heels and sending them on to the super regional round.
Footage from ACC Network
