What uniforms will NC State, UNC baseball wear at CWS? On-field fashion explained

N.C. State right-handed pitcher Logan Whitaker stepped onto the mound at Foley Field in Athens, Georgia, on Monday night, unknowingly sparking style commentary from a national television audience.

Aiming for its fourth Men’s College World Series berth, the Pack opted to wear its digital camouflage uniforms and hats with red lettering, receiving a mixed response from viewers. Some social media users served as fashion police. One user said it was “giving 2018 travel ball vibes,” another said camo should be limited to military academies, and more thought they should’ve gone with traditional colors.

Other baseball fans, however, loved the pick and used fire emojis to note their appreciation. There were also plenty of jokes about being invisible.

Regardless of an individual’s opinions about a certain uniform, or pairing between two teams, the thought that goes into what a team wears have turned games into New York Fashion Week and college athletics into a catwalk.

Just look at the way football and gymnastics teams show off their weekly picks on social media, mixing, matching and — for the women — showing off plenty of rhinestones.

N.C. State and North Carolina traveled to Omaha, Nebraska, this week for the Men’s College World Series, and the teams’ uniform selections will be front and center.

Wolfpack head coach Elliott Avent said several factors play into what his team wears for a weekend, such as being the home or visiting team, the weather and the opposing team.

Avent said he asks the starting pitcher, too. Sam Highfill selected the black uniform last Saturday, Domic Fritton chose white, and Whitaker opted for camo.

“(He chose) the camo to wrap things up like he did in the regional,” Avent said. “I’m pretty sure that’s why he chose that.”

Whitaker, dressed in camouflage, secured the Raleigh Regional win over James Madison, 5-3, after throwing six innings last week. He allowed four hits, two runs, two walks and six strikeouts. He lifted the Wolfpack to the College World Series over Georgia on Monday, clad in the same pairing, with a similar stat line. Whitaker finished with four hits, two runs, one walk and seven strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings of work.

Highfill said the team has a lineup of options, of which the camo has long been included, and confirmed Avent asks the players what they want to wear.

“Last time, I think we wore black and pinstripes. I don’t know if we brought the pinstripes this year,” Highfill said. “We won in the black last weekend, so who knows?”

The Wolfpack won decisively, 18-1, against the Bulldogs in Game 1 of the Athens Super Regional. The team’s clothing choice is still to be determined.

“I would say it doesn’t really matter to me,” Alec Makarewicz said, laughing. “I’m just here to play some ball.”

UNC coach Scott Forbes said the Tar Heels are a little more regimented and have typically worn the same thing for each series. Otherwise, he meets with some of the team leaders.

“This team is extremely process oriented. We’re going to do the same thing we’ve been doing,” Forbes said. “Game 1, we’re the home team. We’re going to go out and wear our white (pinstripes). We’ll go from there. Depending if we’re the visitor, we’ll wear whatever we’ve been wearing as the visitor. Not too much goes into it.”

Forbes acknowledged fans won’t see the Tar Heels wearing white pinstripe pants with a Carolina blue jersey. The Heels eliminated that color combination.

“We were having struggles,” Forbes said. “We weren’t having much success in that one.”

North Carolina opens the double-elimination CWS against ACC opponent Virginia. The conference foes are set to play Game 1 of the tournament at 2 p.m. Friday on ESPN.

N.C. State starts its quest for a national title 24 hours later at 2 p.m. Saturday against Kentucky.

Don’t be surprised if the camouflage makes another appearance.