UNC is playing ‘freakin’ awesome’ baseball as NCAA tournament regionals begin today
North Carolina first baseman Hunter Stokely asked his dad for one of those favors that’s harmless enough for him to go along with it, but he had no clue as to why his son wanted it done.
Stokely needed a Carolina blue T-shirt with the words “Freakin’ Awesome” printed on the front.
“Coach (Scott) Forbes always says, ‘Today’s a freakin’ awesome day,’ so pretty much that’s why I got it made,” said Stokely, adding it only cost about $5. “He kept saying it and our team just said it every day.”
The team first began just casually dropping the phrase just as a way to tease Forbes while working out or at batting practice or even hanging out in the players lounge. But it’s become Carolina’s response to everything.
That’s why Stokely wanted to take it one step further.
The Heels didn’t have a memento to recognize winning plays. When Stokely got the shirt from his dad in Wilson, he finally unveiled it during a game when Tomas Frick hit a walk-off double in the bottom of the 10th inning for a 4-3 win over Charlotte last month.
Stokely brought it out of the dugout and gave it to Frick in the celebration and it’s been a permanent presence in the dugout ever since.
Whenever a player hits a home run, they’re greeted with Stokely or someone holding the shirt in the shoulder area so that the black letters on the front of the shirt are clearly visible. No one actually wears the shirt, they just clutch it long enough to bring it back to the dugout.
Carolina has a 14-2 record since that game, including winning the ACC tournament title.
Forbes, who is in his second season leading the Tar Heels, said his wife and daughters confirmed to him that he does use that saying a lot. And yes, it’s not a euphemism for the other “F” word because Forbes warns his players to be mindful of their language because kids come to the games.
“I don’t even know, I say that all the time,” Forbes said. “But I’m glad they took it and ran with it, because they’re having a blast and that’s important, too. You have to have fun.”
It’s not just winning situations that will prompt the saying. They do it when they’re down too.
Designated hitter Alberto Osuna said he whispered it to himself down 0-2 in the pitch count against Florida State, and it calmed him. He hit the walk-off, three-run homer in the first game of their series sweep over the Seminoles.
That’s the kind of approach that has been contagious for the Heels.
“When you face adversity, you just have to embrace it like, ‘This is freaking awesome,’” said UNC outfielder Angel Zarate. “And so ever since that Charlotte game, I feel like it’s just been good vibes. And I think that’s where we kind of turned it around.”
The results have been undeniable.
Carolina earned the No. 10 overall seed in the NCAA tournament that begins Friday with its 2 p.m. game against Hofstra in Boshamer Stadium. Georgia and VCU will play at 7 p.m. The regional format is double elimination and could potentially last through Monday. Single-game tickets are on sale, but UNC’s game on Friday has already sold out.
The Heels own a 29-6 record at home this season and are playing with a higher level of confidence than even a month ago.
“It’s definitely where I imagined this team being right now,” outfielder Vance Honeycutt said. “There’s a ton of guys on this squad that are crazy talented. The chemistry is like no other and I just think we’re starting to roll at the right time.”
This story was originally published June 3, 2022 at 5:45 AM with the headline "UNC is playing ‘freakin’ awesome’ baseball as NCAA tournament regionals begin today."