North Carolina Walks-Off West Virginia in Game 1

The Tar Heels hit two home runs in the bottom of the ninth to steal game one from the Mountaineers

West Virginia University junior Kyle West. / Christopher Hall

Chapel Hill, NC –North Carolina junior Vance Honeycutt hit a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to lead the Tar Heels (46-14) past the West Virginia Mountaineers (36-23) Friday night 8-6 in the first game of the NCAA tournament super regionals.

West Virginia junior Kyle West gave the Mountaineers an early edge with a leadoff solo home run in the top of the third inning, his third home run of the season and his first since May 3rd. 

North Carolina responded in the bottom of the inning. Senior Colby Wilkerson reached on a one out walk, and All-ACC first team selection Vance Honeycutt singled into left field, and his All-ACC counterpart, redshirt sophomore Casey Cook, received a four-pitch walk to load the bases before Harber delivered a base clearing single. Then, freshman Gavin Gallaher hit an RBI single away from the shift to give the Tarheels the 4-1 lead.

In the top of the fourth, West Virgnia senior Reed Chumley lined a leadoff single to left field, then with two outs, Kyle West drove the 1-2 pitch to right field as Chumley scored from first, diving under the tag at home to cut the deficit to two, 4-2.

Chumley tied the game at four in the sixth with a two-run home run. Junior Grant Hussey followed with a single through the left side and it ended the evening for junior lefty Shea Sprague. North Carolina head coach Scott Forbes called out to the bullpen righthander Mathew Matthijs.

The sophomore recorded the first out of the inning on a fly ball in foul territory near first. Then, West drove the first pitch 425 feet over the right field wall for his second home run of the evening to give the Mountaineers a 6-4 lead.

Wilkerson got the Tar Heels within one after a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh, 6-5.

On the first pitch in the bottom of the ninth, Tar Heel freshman Luke Wilson smashed the tying home run to dead centerfield.

After giving up a one-out single to Madera, it ended Derek Clark’s evening after 144 pitches. The senior finished with eight strikeouts in eight and a third innings of work. Head coach Randy Mazey called out to the bullpen for junior Aidan Major. Then, with two outs, Honeycutt hammered the 3-1 pitch for a two-run home run for the walk-off win 8-6.

West Virgina and North Carolina will meet for game two Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and the action will broadcast on ESPN2.