Two UNC baseball starters named finalists for top defensive award
The UNC baseball team found itself one win away from a second-consecutive trip to the College World Series, but after a 4-3 loss in Game 3 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional, watched its season come to a heartbreaking end.
North Carolina dominated Arizona in Game 1, 18-2 , then struggled on the mound in a 10-8 Game 2 defeat. Despite the Diamond Heels taking a late lead in Game 3, their bats disappeared ahead of a potential ninth-inning rally.
A major part of UNC's success throughout the Chapel Hill Super Regional came from two program veterans: starting catcher Luke Stevenson and starting shortstop Alex Madera. Stevenson mashed two hits – including a home run – and drove in four runners during a Game 1 domination. Madera hit 4-of-13 during the Supers, including a 2-RBI performance in Game 1 and 2-hit outing in Game 2.
Though Stevenson and Madera's hitting abilities garner most of their attention, their defense is amongst college baseball's best. On June 16, Stevenson and Madera earned finalist nominations for the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove awards.
The collegiate Gold Glove award, just like in the MLB, is presented annually to the top defensive players at each position.
Stevenson and Madera will discover if they're winners on Wednesday, June 18. The Diamond Heels are just one of two teams, along with UCLA (first baseman Mulivai Levu, shortstop Roch Cholowsky), to have multiple finalists.
Stevenson compiled a .996 fielding percentage, committed just four errors and recorded 987 putouts over his first two seasons in Chapel Hill. If Stevenson forgoes July's MLB Draft and returns to North Carolina for his junior season, he'll have a chance to further improve upon those numbers.
Madera, who transferred into UNC from Divison-III Arcadia University before the 2024 season, became a mainstay in the middle infield. Starting primarily at shortstop this season and at second base last year, Madera recorded a .982 fielding percentage (eight errors), 281 assists and 149 putouts across his Diamond Heels career.
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