UNC baseball prepares for ACC tournament

On Thursday morning, the North Carolina baseball team will make its return to the ACC Tournament after missing the event last season and posting a sub-.500 conference record for the first time since 2001.

“We certainly want to be in the ACC Tournament every year because I think it’s an honor… That was the worst week of my life last year, to be honest with you,” UNC coach Mike Fox said. “Our guys are glad we’re playing this week and not practicing or whatever else I’d have them doing.”

This season has been a different story altogether, as the Tar Heels (44-12, 20-10) enter this weekend’s round-robin tournament at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in fourth place in the conference. That finish landed UNC in Pool A with top seed Virginia, No. 5 Miami and No. 8 Wake Forest.

North Carolina went 5-4 against those three teams in the 2011 campaign. Wake Forest handed the Tar Heels their first two ACC losses of the season in the conference-opening series in Winston-Salem, while Miami won its series with UNC 2-1 after sweeping a doubleheader in Chapel Hill back in April.

This week’s action will give the Tar Heels a shot at revenge.

“We want to go out and get these wins against them because they took the series from us,” pitcher Patrick Johnson said. “So, maybe a little payback is on hand here.”

With the help of the all-ACC second team arm of Johnson, UNC swept No. 1 Virginia in the closing weekend of the regular season. Johnson opened the series Thursday night by tossing the first complete game shutout by a Tar Heel since Alex White’s in 2009.

Johnson allowed only four hits in the outing and was perfect in the last five innings on his way to his 10th win of the season.

But Johnson already has his sights set on the next game.

“Games like that happen. People have good games and people have bad games,” Johnson said. “I’m just going to go out and try to have a solid start for our team and try to get a win.”

Fox recognizes not only how important Johnson was in the series for the Tar Heels, but also how valuable he has been all season long.

“He might be our most important in terms of just who was going to take that role for us,” Fox said.

“He’s been a work in progress since he had his surgery, and it’s been nice to see him do what he’s done this past year.”

ACC Freshman of the Year Colin Moran wrapped things up nicely in the series finale against UVa., as the third baseman had four hits in four at-bats. Moran, who leads the ACC in RBI, also knocked in his 67th RBI.

He also leads the ACC in multiple RBI games with 20. Moran is the first UNC player since Dustin Ackley to take the ACC’s highest freshman honor.

“It’s a pretty cool feeling,” Moran said. “I mean, it was surprising a little bit just because how many great freshman there are in the league.”

The Tar Heels’ first game is at 11 a.m. today against the Miami Hurricanes. UNC will play Wake Forest on Friday night at 7 p.m. and UVa. Saturday night at 7 p.m.

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@dailytarheel.com.