Staff report

CHARLOTTE — Sunday was another historic day for former Salisbury High standout Vance Honeycutt.

The UNC freshman center fielder was named MVP of the ACC Tournament after leading the Tar Heels to 9-5 win over N.C. State in the title game.

Honeycutt homered twice and drove in five runs in front of the sellout crowd of 10,500 that came to watch old rivals battle at packed Truist Field.

Honeycutt hit two-run homer in the first and three-run homer in the second as UNC built an 8-1 lead.

The homers were the 20th and 21st of the season for Honeycutt, who also has 28 steals in 32 attempts. He’s the first 20/20 player in UNC history. He’s one of only two players in Division I to reach the 20/20 level this season.

Honeycutt has played in all 57 UNC games. He’s scored 57 runs and has knocked in 49. He has nine doubles and four triples and is batting .284.

He started strong this season before hitting a slump. He’s made adjustments and is having a huge finish to the season.

Drafted by the San Francisco Giants out of high school, Honeycutt turned down a substantial bonus offer to go to college.

He was conference and county baseball player of the year while playing shortstop as a high school senior.

He quarterbacked Salisbury to a football state championship in the spring of 2021 and was the Central Carolina Conference Male Athlete of the Year.

UNC starter Max Carlson (3-2) worked five innings to pick up his second win of the tournament.

Surging late in the season,UNC (38-19) has won 15 of its last 17.

The Tar Heels earned the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Baseball Championship.