Two Tar Heels named to Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List

Tar Heels Matthew Mathijs and Dalton Pence were two of 59 relief pitchers named to the Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List. 

Stopper of the Year is an award that honors the nation’s best relief pitcher, created by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). Pence made the preseason watch list, while this was Mathij’s first appearance. 

Both Tar Heels have delivered key moments, contributing to UNC’s success. Mathijs has 40 innings pitched so far this season with a 3.60 ERA and a11-3 record. Meanwhile, Pence has pitched 36 innings, with a 1.75 ERA and four shy from his career high for strikeouts (50) in a season. 

The Tar Heels are an impressive 33-11 and only continue to climb the ranks as they sit 12th in the D1Baseball rankings. They’ve been extra special at home, hosting a 26-2 record at the Bosh. 

UNC also has the best conference record (17-7), leading the Coastal standings. The pitching pair will have good opportunities to further their case for the award, with notable teams like Louisville and Duke remaining on the schedule. 

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Story originally appeared on Tarheels Wire