As the regular season winds down for the No. 20 North Carolina baseball team, an all-to-familiar feeling is beginning to creep up again.
In 2015, the Tar Heels were swept in their final two ACC series, limped into the conference tournament as the No. 8 seed and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001.
UNC has hit a similar stretch during the past month and a half. After starting ACC play with a 5-1 record, the team has lost 13 of its last 18 conference games and currently sits tied for 12th in the standings with two weekend series left to play.
The situation isn't dire, but it's certainly not good for the Tar Heels. Only the top-10 teams in the conference will make the ACC Tournament — which begins on May 24 in Durham — meaning UNC will likely have to win both of its final series to earn a bid.
"Our team will keep fighting," Coach Mike Fox said. "They can do the math, they know. As long as it's mathematically possible, you're still in the hunt."
North Carolina will try to turn things around this weekend when they face Notre Dame at home. The Fighting Irish swept the Tar Heels in South Bend, Ind., a season ago, but are just 1-5 in their past six conference games.
UNC will wrap up the regular season at No. 12 N.C. State for a three-game series. Before dropping their last series against Clemson, the Wolfpack had won their past four against conference opponents.
The key for the Tar Heels in these series could be pulling out close games.
Through the first 20 games of the season, the team went 18-2 and often times blew out its opponent. But since the hot start, UNC has struggled in games that come down to the wire. Since March 24, the Tar Heels are 1-5 in games decided by one run.
