University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Earn First Baseball America Top-10 Ranking in 14 Seasons
June 21, 1999 | Baseball
February 16, 1999
DURHAM, N.C. - The University of North Carolina baseball team earned a ranking of No. 10 in the nation in the latest Baseball America Top 25 poll, released Monday evening. The No. 10 ranking is Carolinas highest Baseball America ranking since being ranked No. 8 in the 1985 preseason poll.
The last time Carolina was ranked in the Top 10 in any national poll was the final 1989 Collegiate Baseball poll, which ranked UNC No. 8 after it advanced to the College World Series. The Tar Heels were ranked No. 13 in the final Baseball America poll that season.
The magazine cited Carolina's strong pitching as a key in its jump from No. 15 in last week's poll to the Top 10 this week. The Tar Heels compiled a team ERA of 2.33 in its wins over East Carolina, Virginia Commonwealth and The Citadel at last weekend's Winn-Dixie Shootout in Charleston, S.C., allowing just seven earned runs while striking out 24 batters in 27.0 innings.
In addition to the Tar Heels, four other Atlantic Coast Conference teams were ranked in this week's Baseball America poll -- No. 1 Florida State, No. 11 Clemson, No. 17 Georgia Tech and No. 21 Wake Forest.
Carolina opens its 1999 home campaign when it hosts Seton Hall in a three-game series beginning Friday at 3:00 p.m. at Boshamer Stadium.
