North Carolina Tar Heels Set to Face Holy Cross in NCAA Tournament Opener
Chapel Hill, NC – The North Carolina Tar Heels (42-12) are gearing up for a high-stakes matchup against the Holy Cross Crusaders (31-25) in the NCAA Regional on May 30 at 12 PM ET. The Tar Heels enter this contest as overwhelming -1600 favorites at Boshamer Stadium, aiming for back-to-back trips to the College World Series (CWS) for the first time since 2008-09.
As the fifth overall seed, North Carolina is riding high on momentum, having recently claimed their ninth ACC Championship with a decisive 14-4 victory over Clemson. Their home field advantage is evident, boasting a 25-6 record at Boshamer Stadium and winning their last four NCAA regional openers on home ground.
Holy Cross, on the other hand, is the no. 4 seed and a formidable +850 underdog. They are advancing to the NCAA Tournament for only the second time since 1978 after clinching the Patriot League title in a thrilling extra-inning showdown against Army West Point.
The Tar Heels’ offense has been prolific, averaging 7.7 runs per game, thanks in part to their impressive pitching staff led by ACC Pitcher of the Year Jake Knapp. Knapp remains undefeated at 12-0, sporting a 2.17 ERA and a WHIP of 0.83, making him a tough challenge for the Crusaders.
Holy Cross counters with right-hander Danny Macchiarola, who finished the season at 9-4 with a 3.09 ERA, flourishing in the Patriot League Tournament. The Crusaders excelled in hitting, leading their conference with a .285 average and ranking first in doubles and triples.
With the winner set to face either Oklahoma or Nebraska on Saturday, anticipation is building for an electrifying start to the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels are eyeing their first national championship, while Holy Cross hopes to pull off a historic upset.
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