Jason DeCaro shares the key to success for North Carolina freshmen

Scott Forbes confirmed that freshman pitcher Jason DeCaro will make the start on the mound to open the Men’s College World Series on Friday vs. Virginia.

Being allowed to start the first game of the MCWS as a freshman is a testament of the North Carolina coaches’ trust in the young right-hander. Of course, DeCaro’s continued success throughout the season earned him the start on a national stage in Omaha.

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Ahead of his start against the Cavaliers, DeCaro explained the motivating factors that helped him, and the rest of the Tar Heels’ star-studded freshman lineup, reach this point so fast in their college careers.

“I think the great leadership that we have from the other guys played a huge role,” DeCaro said. “Whether it’s on the field or off the field, they’re always there to give you advice or help you out if you need it. I think that’s been really big from day one. Just kind of having them by our side and if you have any questions, you can ask them. So that’s been huge.”

The Tar Heels’ effort in Game 2 was led by the 6-foot-5 freshman pitcher. He finished the game having allowed WVU’s lone run during the 2-1 victory, allowing just two hits and two walks across 6.1 innings. He also struck out five Mountaineer batters en route to securing his sixth win of the season.

Now that he’s headed to the World Series with the Tar Heels, DeCaro is realizing many’s dream of playing on college baseball’s brightest stage. He has also taken on a mature mindset on making it to Omaha leading up to Game 1.

“It’s a privilege that we get to be here and experience all this,” DeCaro continued. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Never going to forget this. So just taking it all in and kind of just enjoying it.”

On the season, DeCaro has appeared on the mound 17 times for the Tar Heels. Boasting a 3.89 ERA during his first season in Chapel Hill, DeCaro has struck out 72 batters across 85.2 innings of work during the 2024 season.

It’s unclear what Forbes’ plan for DeCaro after the opening matchup will be, but one thing is for sure — North Carolina and Virginia will do battle beginning at 2 p.m. ET and will air live on ESPN in what will be the first matchup of the 2024 Men’s College World Series.