Baseball 5/27/2025 2:39:00 PM From Bauer Field to ACC Champions: Bass and Forbes Guide Tar Heels Toward Omaha

Skip To Main ContentPause All Rotators North Carolina Wesleyan University North Carolina Wesleyan Athletics, click here to return to the homepage. Main Navigation Menu Search Search Search Search... Go Sport Navigation Menu BB More+ 78o Baseball 5/27/2025 2:39:00 PM From Bauer Field to ACC Champions: Bass and Forbes Guide Tar Heels Toward Omaha Story Links Chapel Hill, NC – It began on the humble diamond of Bauer Field and ended with confetti in Durham, as two North Carolina Wesleyan alums helped guide the Tar Heels to an ACC title — and now aim for a shot at Omaha. This past Sunday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, the third-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels overwhelmed Clemson 14-4 to capture their ninth ACC Tournament crown. At the center of the celebration were head coach Scott Forbes and right fielder Tyson Bass — two proud products of North Carolina Wesleyan. In front of a sea of Carolina blue, Bass launched a momentum-seizing home run in the fifth inning and later caught the game's final out — a full-circle moment that began in Rocky Mount. "I'll never forget it," Bass said. "To hit a homer in the ACC title game, then catch the final out? That's something I dreamed about as a kid. And to share it with Coach Forbes — a guy who came from the same place I did — that made it even more special." Bass, a former Hunt High School standout, transferred to UNC for his fifth year of eligibility after a record-breaking career at NCWU. His impact at Wesleyan was immense. Over four seasons, he was a three-time NCAA Regional qualifier, helped the Bishops to back-to-back USA South championships, and was named the 2024 USA South Player of the Year. His senior season was one of the most prolific in program history — batting .359 with 79 hits, 70 runs, 57 RBIs, 161 total bases, and a school-record 21 home runs. He became NCWU's all-time leader in runs scored (227) and career home runs (48), while also ranking top five in RBIs (174), stolen bases (89), and single-season OPS (1.219). He finished with a .330 career batting average and was named an ABCA First Team All-American — one of only a handful of Bishops to earn that national honor. "Wesleyan was the perfect place," Bass said. "I will never regret it. I learned how to compete, how to lead, and how to win — with my best friends in the world. That shaped everything I am." Head coach Greg Clifton called him "the most talented young man I've ever coached," adding, "He hit for power, played with joy, and led our program back onto the national stage. Tyson was a treat to coach — and you hate to play against him." Bass's leadership and personality made him a cornerstone of the Bishops' recent resurgence. "Tyson was our Vance Honeycutt," said Bayden Collins, N.C. Wesleyan's Sports Information Director. "He did it all — power, speed, defense, clutch moments. But beyond the numbers, our friendship and the legacy he left are what I'll remember most. And to see him share this journey with Scott, who's meant so much to me as well, it just shows how special Wesleyan really is." Head coach Scott Forbes, now in his fifth year leading the Tar Heels, blazed that same path years earlier. A 1998 NCWU graduate, Forbes was an All-Region catcher who helped lead Wesleyan to a fifth-place finish at the 1997 NCAA Division III World Series. He still holds the DIII single-season record with 27 doubles. "Wesleyan changed Scott's life," said his father, Harvey Forbes. "It gave him structure, belief, and direction — and he carried those lessons with him to Chapel Hill." This year, that legacy came full circle again as longtime Tar Heel head coach Mike Fox — who got his start at Wesleyan — was announced as part of the 2024 College Baseball Hall of Fame induction class. Fox, who led the Bishops to the 1989 NCAA Division III national title and later guided UNC to seven College World Series appearances, left a deep imprint on both programs. When Fox retired in 2020 with 1,487 career wins, a .731 career winning percentage, and more than four decades of coaching excellence, his successor was never in question. "Handing the program to Scott was the easiest decision we made," Fox said. "He had been by my side for so long, and I knew what kind of man and coach he was. I trusted him completely. Carolina Baseball meant everything to me, and I knew I was leaving it in the best hands possible." Fox's retirement marked the end of an era and the beginning of another — one that has seen Forbes guide UNC to back-to-back 40-win seasons, top national rankings, and now another ACC championship. "Scott was my right-hand man for many, many years — first as a player I respected, then as a coach I trusted with everything," Fox continued. "He's built a legacy at Carolina that's rooted in his time at Wesleyan — grit, loyalty, and a true love for his players." This season, Forbes's roster featured multiple Division III transfers, including Bass, Alex Madera (SUNY Oneonta), and Sam Angelo (Montclair State) — a testament to his faith in overlooked talent. "These guys bring maturity and hunger," Forbes said. "Tyson earned our respect from day one. His story isn't easy — and that's what makes him so impactful. He's a ballplayer in every sense of the word." That grit traces back to Wesleyan and the guidance Bass received there. "Coach Clifton shaped who I am," Tyson said. "He believed in me. He helped me understand how to prepare, how to lead, and how to stay grounded." Tyson's father, Chris Bass, added: "Coach Clifton changed Tyson's life. He gave him a second home, a place to grow and shine. Wesleyan gave our family everything." As UNC prepares to host the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional beginning May 30 — welcoming Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Holy Cross — Bass and Forbes are chasing history. Should the Tar Heels reach the College World Series, they would become the first N.C. Wesleyan player-coach duo to ever do so — the ultimate chapter on their shared Road to Omaha. "There's still work to do," Bass said. "We want Omaha. We want a ring. And we're going to give our all to get there." The foundation was laid in Rocky Mount. Now, the nation is watching. 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