Arkansas, North Carolina set to collide
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — In 28 seasons as an NCAA Division I baseball coach, Dave Van Horn’s teams have played 1,589 games.
That includes 941 games against 43 opponents in Power 5 conferences from Miami to Minnesota, Rutgers to Stanford, and lots in between.
Van Horn, in his 20th season at the University of Arkansas, played the Razorbacks six times when he was at Northwestern (La.) State and Nebraska. He also has faced the Cornhuskers 12 times as the Razorbacks’ coach, including last year’s Fayetteville Regional.
But Van Horn never has played North Carolina. Until now.
Van Horn’s Razorbacks (41-19) take on the Tar Heels (42-20) at 10 a.m. today in the opener of the Chapel Hill Super Regional at North Carolina’s Boshamer Stadium.
The teams will play twice, and possibly a third time if the series is tied 1-1.
Arkansas and North Carolina play Game 2 at noon Sunday. If a third game is necessary to decide the super regional winner and who advances to the College World Series, it will be played Monday.
The Razorbacks and Tar Heels have met just once, in the 1989 College World Series when Arkansas won 7-3.
Van Horn missed that game by a year. He was in his first season as coach at Texarkana Junior College after being an Arkansas graduate assistant from 1985-88.
The Razorbacks and Tar Heels both advanced to the College World Series in 2009 and 2018, but didn’t play each other.
“It is probably a little strange, but we’ve just never matched up,” Van Horn said. “But I’ve watched them a lot.”
North Carolina Coach Scott Forbes called it “amazing” that the Tar Heels are facing a Van Horn-coached team for the first time.
“When I’ve watched them play, they’ve reminded me a lot of us,” Forbes said. “They play hard. They’re fundamentally sound. I have a lot of respect for what they’ve done.”
North Carolina won its
regional at home last weekend, beating Virginia Commonwealth 7-3 in the championship game on Monday night when Arkansas won 7-3 at Oklahoma State.
The Razorbacks beat the Cowboys, the No. 7 national seed, two of three games at O’Brate Stadium.
“I think going on the road is good for us,” said senior pitcher Connor Noland, who will start for the Razorbacks today. “We have a little chip on our shoulder.
“It gives you confidence going into somebody else’s ballpark. You saw last week we were comfortable.”
Noland (6-5, 4.16 ERA) went seven innings in Arkansas’ 7-1 victory over Grand Canyon in the Stillwater Regional opener. As a freshman in 2019, he pitched in the College World Series.
“I just think the confidence that he brings to the coaching staff, the players in the field, it’s a good feeling,” Van Horn said of Noland’s experience. “He’s been steady Eddie all year, He always gives us great effort. He doesn’t make excuses. I think the team likes playing behind him.”
Sophomore right-hander Max Carlson (4-2, 3.61
ERA) will start for North Carolina today.
Carlson missed practice last fall recovering from elbow surgery, Forbes said, but has gradually gained strength this season.
“He’s a competitor,” Forbes said. “We thought he was going to be out the entire year … So to get him back was a big bonus for us.
“Honestly, I’ve been surprised how well he’s come back from that and his velocity has continued to tick up. His command has improved as the season has moved along.
“It’s been good to see him knock that rust off. His first live outing was in a scrimmage before the season.”
Forbes said Carlson’s fastball can hit 96 miles an hour, but he’s consistently at 92 to 93. He also throws a slider, changeup and curveball.
Carlson has 84 strikeouts in 72 1/3 innings. “He’s got good stuff,” Van Horn said. “You look at his numbers, they’re good. He’s going to be what we see on Fridays in the SEC.”
North Carolina is 33-7 at Boshamer Stadium this season.
“It’s a special place,” said Tar Heels freshman center fielder Vance Honeycutt, who has hit 24 home runs. “The Bosh magic is real.”
The Razorbacks played on the road against four teams that hosted the 16 regionals this season. In addition to Oklahoma State, they played SEC series at Auburn, Florida and Texas A&M.
“It definitely gets you ready mentally for what you’re getting into,” Van Horn said. “You really don’t get shocked by anything.
“Some days it goes great. Sometimes you have to fight a little bit more.
“It teaches you how to come back on the road if you’ve done it. Experience, you can’t replace it. You’ve got to live it.”
Forbes, who was North Carolina’s pitching coach from 2006-20 before promoted to head coach last season to replace the retiring Mike Fox, said he’s met Van Horn on the road recruiting and looked forward to visiting with him this weekend.
“I mean, he’s a coaching legend,” Forbes said. “I have a ton of respect for him. I’m really looking forward to competing against him.”
For Van Horn, this weekend finally is his first chance to play the Tar Heels.