Resume Check: Looking ahead to South Carolina baseball's next opponent, the North Carolina Tar Heels

South Carolina baseball dropped another SEC series this weekend, falling to the Arkansas Razorbacks in a three-game sweep in Fayetteville. The Gamecocks now are 17-8 overall and 1-5 in SEC play.

South Carolina has a big mid-week opportunity this week before resuming SEC play against the No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers. On Tuesday, the Gamecocks will play a neutral site game against the rival North Carolina Tar Heels.

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Resume Check: North Carolina Tar Heels

Record: 18-6 (4-5 in ACC)
AP Ranking: 17th
Last Week: 2-1 series win over Boston College in Chestnut Hill; mid-week loss to UConn 5-1 in Chapel Hill

The North Carolina Tar Heels have been ranked most of the season and went undefeated before ACC play began. Scott Forbes’ team swept Texas Tech, East Carolina, and Stoney Brook and beat a ranked Coastal Carolina group.

Heading into the Battle of the Carolinas, UNC has lost six of 11 but won a series this weekend over Boston College. Similarly, South Carolina has lost five of seven.

This preseason, the ACC’s coaches voted North Carolina as the third-best team in the conference. Catcher Luke Stevenson was the leading Tar Heel in preseason All-ACC projections. Pitchers Jason DeCaro and Matthew Mathijs also picked up some preseason all-conference love.

Through 24 games, Stevenson has been great, but big lefty Hunter Stokley has been one of the best hitters in the country. The duo have combined for 16 home runs and 51 RBI. Joining them with a great start to the 2025 season is speedy outfield Kane Kepley. Kepley already has 17 steals on the season and would have even more had he not hit five triples.

On the pitching end of things, the Heels have had a dominant starting rotation. Both Aidan Haugh and Jake Knapp have ERAs under 2.00 and WHIPs below 1.00. DeCaro, arguably the most talented of the bunch, hasn’t struck out tons of batters but still holds a 3.94 ERA. The bullpen hasn’t been as dominant, but Mathijs, Ryan Lynch, and Walker McDuffie combine for 79 strikeouts in 53.1 innings.

South Carolina baseball coach announced on Monday that usual closer Brendan Sweeney will start on Tuesday. He has struggled some of late. Jarvis Evans pitched in the mid-week last week but also started Sunday’s game after Dylan Eskew missed his start with a concussion following a batting practice home run hitting him in the head.

The South Carolina Gamecocks and North Carolina Tar Heels will play their rivalry contest on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Truist Field in Charlotte. The game will not be on traditional television but will stream on SEC Network +.

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