Three takeaways from North Carolina baseball's media day

On Tuesday, the North Carolina baseball team held its media day. Here are three stories to watch out for as the Tar Heels head into their season-opening series this weekend against Kentucky.

Postseason drought

UNC enters the season after failing to hear its name called on Selection Monday the past two seasons. In 2016, the Tar Heels were left out despite being ranked 19th in RPI by the season’s end.

“It’s pretty embarrassing,” junior Brian Miller said.

A hot start to last year had expectations high for the rest of the season. But a 13-17 showing in ACC play kept the Tar Heels on the outside looking in.

“There’s only 30 (games) that count,” head coach Mike Fox said.

UNC knows it has the talent to make it back to the NCAA Tournament because they compete with teams that make it every year.

“If you looked around those regionals, we probably beat a majority of those teams,” junior shortstop Logan Warmoth said, pointing out blowout wins over ECU and a close loss against national champion Coastal Carolina as evidence of UNC’s strength.

But, UNC is not going to let last year affect them.

“You’ve just to move on, be in the present,” Warmoth said. “Not five months, six months ago, but in the present.”

Sunday woes

One problem that hurt UNC’s playoff chances was its play on Sunday games in the ACC, where the Tar Heels went 2-8 on the final day of the weekend.

“Sundays make or break you,” Fox said. “Sundays can put you in a regional. Sundays can host you a regional.”

Fox pointed out that Sunday games could serve as an exclamation point with a sweep, or as the rubber match for a series victory, or as a chance to avoid a sweep.

In each case, UNC needs to find the consistency to finish weekends, which Fox knows is easier said than done.

“You can go one way or the other and we had couple of Sundays where we went the wrong way,” Fox said. “That ultimately sealed our fate.”

Newcomers

Fox hopes first-year Luca Dalatri will be able to help with the team’s Sunday problem, as he was announced as the team’s third starter for the series against Kentucky.

“He throws strikes,” Fox said.

He noted that Dalatri’s stamina and poise will serve him well. Dalatri won’t overpower hitters, but he has four good pitches and will force teams to put the ball in play.

In the batter’s box, Miller has been impressed with first-years Michael Busch and Brandon Martorano.

“They’ve both got some power and a lot of bat control,” Miller said. “They’ll be good additions to the offense and the defense.”

@sjdoughton

sports@dailytarheel.com