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Tar Heels headed to NCAA tournament

Posted on June 2, 2011June 8, 2011 by Staff


By Eddy Landreth
Staff Writer
One year after being the last team named to the NCAA baseball tournament field, the Tar Heels once again reached the rarefied air they breathed from 2006 to ’09, when they earned their way to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.
On Monday, the Tar Heels were named the No. 3 national seed in the tournament. What this means is that Carolina will host an opening-round regional, starting on Friday. UNC (45-14) will open against Maine (33-22) at 6 p.m. a game preceded by the matchup of No. 2 seed Florida International (40-18) and James Madison (40-17) at 1 p.m.
Game times will be the same on Saturday and Sunday in the double-elimination event. If a Monday game is necessary, it would begin at 6 p.m.
If Carolina wins this weekend, then the winner of the Cal State Fullerton (40-14) regional would come to Chapel Hill for a best-two-of-three series for the right to play in the College World Series.
“It will definitely be exciting,” said senior pitcher Patrick Johnson, who is 11-1 with a 2.46 earned run average.
“It’s one of those things you always dream about when you come here,” he said. “You want to host a regional and super-regional and play on your home field in front of your home fans. I can’t wait to do it.”
Johnson had been to Omaha and the College World Series twice before last year’s disappointing season that ended with a loss at the Oklahoma regional, a season in which UNC did not even get to play in the ACC Tournament.
“Last year, we had that feeling it was a let-down year,” Johnson said. “We didn’t make it to Omaha. The guys who were here before last year, we had all been to Omaha every year. It has been our goal from the start of the season [to return] to Omaha. We have put ourselves in a good position. We just have to go out and play well and take care of business.”
The journey has been rather remarkable, really. This team went from not getting invited to play in the ACC Tournament in 2010 to being the No. 3 national seed, with the top Ratings Index Percentage (RPI) in the nation. (The RPI measures wins, losses and strength of schedule.)
“The fact that we got in last year and all these guys, except the freshmen, played in a regional last year really, really helped us,” Coach Mike Fox said. “Going out to Oklahoma, getting that taste and being in those games, gave our team not only some incentive, but all the guys who had not been in a regional before last year saw that we were really close to winning that regional.
“We could have won it. That helped us. I think our guys were determined this year when we came back. We have some great leadership on this team.”
Fox said that senior pitcher/fielder Greg Holt epitomizes the journey and development of this team. Holt says that four years ago, he wasn’t sure he would even be around as a senior.
Fox agreed, but said some important personal developments occurred that have helped Holt become a good player and a superb leader.
“Greg matured physically and mentally,” Fox said. “I think his expectations coming here from high school and playing in the ACC were way off base with what it took.
“Fortunately for him, he was able to look at himself in the mirror, which a lot of kids have to do at some point, and say, ‘OK, I’m going to quit making excuses and quit listening to maybe the wrong advice, take some ownership and responsibility.’
“He became committed. Then he got after it. He has always been confident. He just had to take that confidence and match it with a little baseball. He might be the biggest story on our team, really. From where he was when he got here, I’m surprised he is here as well.”

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