Pitching for Supers

THEChapelthrill

All-Conference
Aug 2, 2025
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After this weekend, I think you keep it with Lynch up first. He stepped up, and has done it now multiple times in the postseason. Also sounds like he found some things mechanically that allowed him to pitch better this weekend. JD has now been sub par his last TWO starts. You gotta get game 1 at home... I'd like to see Lynch go again.
 

Heelium1

Junior
Aug 6, 2025
337
365
63
Should we go back to normal? Jason, Ryan, Folger, or start Ryan game one?
We (the coaches) need to evaluate what USC's hitters can and cannot hit. And then lead with either DeCaro or Lynch, depending upon which one either matches up better or will confound them more for the second one to pitch.

I don't know the answer to that, but, if I had to spitball it, I would default to our typical rotation.
 

TennesseeTarHeel1999

All-Conference
Jul 31, 2025
467
1,472
93
After this weekend, I think you keep it with Lynch up first. He stepped up, and has done it now multiple times in the postseason. Also sounds like he found some things mechanically that allowed him to pitch better this weekend. JD has now been sub par his last TWO starts. You gotta get game 1 at home... I'd like to see Lynch go again.
I don’t think you can take that spot from DeCaro completely. That would be a confidence killer and perhaps something that sticks into his head even past this weekend.
 

sweetcaroline1874

All-Conference
Jun 15, 2025
1,544
1,764
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I’m honestly not sure, but USC’s ace is pretty phenomenal. Ryan was fantastic on Friday, and Jason has been struggling the last couple of weeks, so I would probably throw Ryan against Edwards. USC has a pretty deep pitching staff, and theirs seems to be pretty similar to ours. Our pitching really needs to be elite this weekend, and our offense needs to be elite as well if we want to get back to Omaha.
 
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HeelYeah2012

All-Conference
Jul 25, 2025
1,086
2,790
113
I could see it either way this weekend as far as the order of Lynch and DeCaro. Forbes was pretty peeved when people suggested we threw off last weekend, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see him keep the order the same this week with Lynch throwing first. Also would make perfect sense to put DeCaro back into his normal Game 1 role.
 

Ncdcnyheel

Sophomore
Mar 30, 2025
48
102
33
I also think Jason has done well when there’s a big task out there that people/the national media are skeptical he can accomplish (e.g., going toe to toe with FSU’s pitching staff last year, holding down GT’s offense this year), so maybe pitting him against USC vaunted ace this year could draw that out of him again
 
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goheels1117

All-American
Jul 29, 2025
3,210
8,953
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I also think Jason has done well when there’s a big task out there that people/the national media are skeptical he can accomplish (e.g., going toe to toe with FSU’s pitching staff last year, holding down GT’s offense this year), so maybe pitting him against USC vaunted ace this year could draw that out of him again
Add in facing Witherspoon in the tournament last year.
 

tbrew

Sophomore
Jul 21, 2025
47
110
13
I also think Jason has done well when there’s a big task out there that people/the national media are skeptical he can accomplish (e.g., going toe to toe with FSU’s pitching staff last year, holding down GT’s offense this year), so maybe pitting him against USC vaunted ace this year could draw that out of him again
Dont forget Game 1 of the CWS in 2024.
 
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unctarheel1984

All-Conference
Aug 15, 2002
8,112
4,485
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… if I had to spitball it …
Comedy Love GIF by Atlanta Jewish Film Festival
 
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unctarheel1984

All-Conference
Aug 15, 2002
8,112
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I’m honestly not sure, but USC’s ace is pretty phenomenal. Ryan was fantastic on Friday, and Jason has been struggling the last couple of weeks, so I would probably throw Ryan against Edwards. USC has a pretty deep pitching staff, and their seems to be pretty similar to ours. Our pitching really needs to be elite this weekend, and our offense needs to be elite as well if we want to get back to Omaha.
And yet USC managed to lose 16 games in a weaker conference.
 
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GraceNugent

All-Conference
Staff member
Jun 29, 2025
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What are DeCaro's career postseason numbers?
Based on my calculations (please remember I was not a math major). His NCAAT post-season ERA is 5.16. He appeared in four games in 2024, two in 2025 and one thus far in 2026.

2024 (LIU, LSU, WVU, UVa): 10H, 7 ER, 14K, 16.1 IP
2025 (OU, AZ): 14 H, 7 ER, 8K, 9.2 IP
2026 (ECU): 6 H, 3 ER, 2K, 3.2IP
 
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AG199mac

Redshirt
Jan 8, 2026
33
33
18
After this weekend, I think you keep it with Lynch up first. He stepped up, and has done it now multiple times in the postseason. Also sounds like he found some things mechanically that allowed him to pitch better this weekend. JD has now been sub par his last TWO starts. You gotta get game 1 at home... I'd like to see Lynch go again.
I agree he seems the hotter hand. (Lynch). May be a better chance to save our few trustworthy arms for later in the series.
 
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bluebooksandbluecups

All-Conference
Aug 19, 2025
526
1,028
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I think we are at home in a “traditional” format (a series vs. a double-elimination tourney…so I think we do what we’ve done all season and what has led to us winning 9 straight series…

DeCaro, Lynch, Boaz

I think Boaz should be trusted one time through the order…then Jackson Rose can take over (unless Glauber and McDuffie are so rested they can give us 6-7 innings to close out the game.

I fully expect DeCaro to bounce back and have a GREAT start on Friday.
 
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UNC09Lifer

Freshman
Aug 1, 2025
46
70
18
Now that we are through the Regionals, there won't be another scenario that will tax the ENTIRE pitching staff as much as Regionals could have (if we went to game 7).

Last weekend, Game 1 starter could potentially pitch again in a more limited outing in Game 7. As it turns out, DeCaro also would have been available again due to his short outing, but wouldn't have been able to assume that going into the weekend. This scenario simply won't come up again with a 2-3 game Supers series, and a much longer timeline in Omaha.

I think Forbes/Gaines will have the flexibility of just picking arms based on matchups, and they are so darn good at that.
 

GraceNugent

All-Conference
Staff member
Jun 29, 2025
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Not that ERA should be the only indicator, the DeCaro-Lynch-Boaz has worked wonders all season, but in a much SMALLER sample size, Ryan's NCAAT ERA is 1.80.
2025 (OU twice, Arizona): 13 IP, 4 ER, 9H, 13K
2026 (VCU): 7 IP, 0 ER, 2H, 4K
 
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UNCAlum83

Senior
Jul 17, 2025
375
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I think we are at home in a “traditional” format (a series vs. a double-elimination tourney…so I think we do what we’ve done all season and what has led to us winning 9 straight series…

DeCaro, Lynch, Boaz

I think Boaz should be trusted one time through the order…then Jackson Rose can take over (unless Glauber and McDuffie are so rested they can give us 6-7 innings to close out the game.

I fully expect DeCaro to bounce back and have a GREAT start on Friday.
The only real difference is we'll be the home team for game 1, away for game 2, and home for game 3 if needed.
 

sweetcaroline1874

All-Conference
Jun 15, 2025
1,544
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Even though I feel like Jason is due for a good game, it just seems riskier. If he can’t go more than three innings like he hasn’t the last two weekends and we have to burn Caden in game one, that’s not going to set us up for success. He has to go at least six innings. Has he done that at all this year?
 

bluebooksandbluecups

All-Conference
Aug 19, 2025
526
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And I know there will be a few apologists on here…but the B1G simply isn’t the same comp as the ACC. Against the top B1G teams this year, USC did not perform very well.