UNC baseball winds up for ACC tourney

The North Carolina baseball team’s game on Tuesday at NewBridge Bank Park in Greensboro included the same cast — but on a vastly different stage.

Almost a year ago, UNC and N.C. State met one another in an elimination game in the NCAA College World Series in Omaha, Neb. — eyes fixed on clinching a national title.

On Tuesday, the archrivals once again clashed on the diamond, this time vying for a spot in the ACC Tournament and to extend their seasons a few more weeks.

And it was the Tar Heels (33-23, 16-15 ACC) who triumphed in a 4-3 victory that will allow the team to defend its tournament crown and likely return for a curtain call in the NCAA Tournament.

“That’s a pretty strong ‘must win,’ but we knew this was a very important game for us,” coach Mike Fox said. “Just didn’t want to take any chances on maybe what could happen going further here. We just wanted to stay alive, stay in this tournament as long as we keep playing.”

With the win over the Wolfpack in the play-in game, the No. 7 seeded Tar Heels advance into pool play, where they will compete in Pool B with Florida State, Virginia and Maryland.

UNC faced the Seminoles on Wednesday and will compete against the Cavaliers on May 23 at 7 p.m. and the Terrapins on May 24 at 3 p.m.

The three teams enter the tournament as the Atlantic Division champion, No. 3 team in the country and the Atlantic Division runner-up, respectively. The task of knocking off such elite opponents may appear daunting, but senior Parks Jordan said weekend ACC series have prepared the team for this moment.

“I feel like our team’s done a great job of showing up when we’ve played some top-notch talent in the league on the weekends,” said Jordan before practice on Monday. “I think we’ll be able to compete and rise to the occasion.”

In a season in which the pitching staff has been responsible for much of the team’s success, the Tar Heels will need to keep their bats hot coming off a four-game stretch against Gardner-Webb and Miami in which they combined for 52 hits and 23 runs.

Sophomore pitcher Taylore Cherry said before Monday’s practice the team’s recent success in the batter’s box would serve as a catalyst in postseason play.

“We’ve got some big hits in big situations against some really good pitchers we’ve faced,” Cherry said.

After winning the tournament for a sixth time last season, UNC’s Tuesday’s play-in game serves as vindication for what has been a subpar season overall.

But after playing 31 games decided by two or less runs, Fox said the team is equipped with experience for the close games one would anticipate to play in the tournament.

“Maybe that’ll help us if we’re in another close, tight game we really need to win,” Fox said. “Maybe what we’ve gone through this year will push us over the edge, I hope so.”

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