University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Head To Columbia For NCAA Baseball Regional
May 29, 2002 | Baseball
May 29, 2002
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North Carolina takes a 40-19 record and the No. 2 seed into this weekend's NCAA Baseball Regional in Columbia, S.C. The Tar Heels have been to the NCAA Tournament in four of the past five seasons and 17 times overall, where they have a record of 35-35. Carolina opens against James Madison (43-14) from the Colonial Athletic Association on Friday at 2 p.m. The Tar Heels have never faced JMU in the postseason but are 3-2 all-time against the Dukes, who tied a school record for wins in 2002.
"I think our team is very hungry," said UNC head coach Mike Fox. "I've liked this team from the very beginning. We know we can play with the best teams in the country. I think our kids are excited about playing."
South Carolina (48-14) is the No. 6 national seed in addition to being the top seed of this weekend's NCAA Regional at Sarge Frye Field. The Gamecocks face fourth-seeded Virginia Commonwealth (38-25), which defeated James Madison for the CAA Tournament championship, at 7 p.m. on Friday.
The Tar Heels are 57-26-1 in 84 all-time meetings with South Carolina and are 1-1 against USC in NCAA Tournament play. South Carolina defeated UNC, 5-4, at the 1984 South II Regional in Starkville, Miss., while UNC won, 4-2, in 1988 at the Atlantic I Regional in Coral Gables, Fla.
UNC is 11-4 all-time against Virginia Commonwealth but has never faced the Rams in the NCAA Tournament. Carolina defeated VCU, 10-2, on April 23 in the only regular-season meeting between the Tar Heels and any of this weekend's possible opponents.
"It's been a long season, but now we're playing for the ultimate prize," said Fox, who was UNC's starting second baseman in 1978 when the Tar Heels made one of four trips in school history to the College World Series. "I want these players to experience what I was able to experience as a player. That's what I've wanted since I got here, to take a group to Omaha because it's an experience that they will never forget. It almost culiminates your amateur career. I want that for the players here desperately."
