University of North Carolina Athletics
Trip To Omaha At Stake As Tar Heels Tangle With Tide
June 8, 2006 | Baseball
June 8, 2006
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - After sweeping through the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional with 43 runs in three games, North Carolina takes to the road in search of its first trip to the College World Series since 1989. The Tar Heels (48-13) open the best-of-three Tuscaloosa Super Regional against Alabama (44-19) Friday at 7 p.m. on ESPN. Game two is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday on ESPN2/ESPNU, and game three will be played at 4 p.m. Sunday on ESPN/ESPNU, if needed.
Carolina is making its second Super Regional appearance in the last four seasons and hopes to advance to its fifth CWS.
Jones Angell and Adam Lucas have the call of all of Carolina's remaining postseason games for the Tar Heel Sports Network. An audio broadcast will be available on AM-1360 WCHL in Chapel Hill and online at TarHeelBlue.com.
SUPER REGIONAL BREAKDOWN
Game Time North Carolina Starter/Alabama Starter Fri., 7 p.m. ET Andrew Miller (12-2, 2.26)/Wade LeBlanc (11-0, 2.62) Sat., 7 p.m. ET Daniel Bard (8-3, 3.47)/Tommy Hunter (10-3. 3.10) Sun., 4 p.m. ET Robert Woodard (6-1, 3.48)/Bernard Robert (8-6, 4.72)
All-Time Series Record: North Carolina leads, 5-4
Postseason Series Record: North Carolina leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: North Carolina 7, Alabama 6, Feb. 11, 1996, in Orlando, Fla.
Fast Fact: In their first-ever postseason appearance, the Tar Heels defeated the Crimson Tide, 11-3, in the 1948 NCAA District III Regional in Charlotte. Just one of the teams' nine meetings has been played since 1952.
TAR HEELS AT A GLANCE
• The Tar Heels' 48 victories rank as the second-most wins in program history. Carolina is three wins shy of the school record of 51 set in 1990. The first team in the nation to reach 40 victories, Carolina won a record 45 regular season games and has a school-record five straight 40-win seasons. The 48 victories rank third nationally behind only Rice (53) and Clemson (50), the top two national seeds in the NCAA Championship.
• Carolina is making just its second Super Regional appearance, but both trips have come in the last four seasons. The Tar Heels were 0-2 at the 2003 Columbia Super Regional.
• Ranked as high as No. 5 in the most recent polls, Carolina reached the top spot in the rankings for the first time in program history this season. The Tar Heels were ranked No. 1 by Collegiate Baseball from April 17 to May 8 and were first in the NCBWA Poll April 10.
• With seven home runs in the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional, Carolina pushed its season total to 73, which is the 10th-most in school history and the most since a record 108 long balls in 2002. Conversely, UNC's pitching staff has surrendered an ACC-low 24 homers all season, including just six over the last 27 games, three of which came in the regional win over Maine.
• The Tar Heels hit .440 in the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional to raise their team average to .323, which sits second in the ACC and would rank as the second-best team average in program history. The 2002 squad set the school record at .325.
• UNC ranks third in the ACC with a 3.27 staff earned run average. The Tar Heels sport a 2.68 mark over the last 25 games and have allowed more than three earned runs just seven times over the last 25 games.
• UNC has surpassed its 2005 stolen base total with 87 through 61 games. With a pair of outstanding catchers, Carolina has allowed just 38 steals on the year - an average of just 0.62 per game. Opponents have attempted to steal just 65 times against the Tar Heels.
• In Josh Horton (.409), Jay Cox (.386) and Chad Flack (.377), the Tar Heels have three of the top five hitters in the ACC on their roster. With ERA leader Jonathan Hovis (1.32), Carolina sports the league leader in average and ERA heading into the Super Regional.
• Carolina's weekend starting rotation of Daniel Bard, Andrew Miller and Robert Woodard is 26-6 (.813) this season and 71-24 (.747) over the last three years. The Tar Heels have three 20-game winners on their roster for the first time in program history. Add midweek ace Luke Putkonen to the mix, and Carolina's starters are a combined 32-6 (.842) on the year.
• Thanks in large part to reliable middle relievers Jonathan Hovis and Matt Danford and closer Andrew Carignan, Carolina is 39-2 this season when leading after six innings, 43-0 when ahead after seven and 45-0 when leading after eight.
SCOUTING THE CRIMSON TIDE
Alabama is led by its starting rotation of Wade LeBlanc (11-0, 2.62), Tommy Hunter (10-3, 3.10) and Bernard Robert (8-6, 4.72). All three have worked 100-plus innings and have led the Tide to a 3.35 staff ERA. Closer David Robertson (4-3, 2.60) has 10 saves in a team-high 28 appearances.
At the plate, Alabama is led by center fielder Emeel Salem, who is batting .364 with 36 stolen bases and 32 RBI. Kody Valverde checks in with a .346 average with 12 homers and 59 RBI. The team sports a .293 average with 48 homers and 66 steals.
The Tar Heels and Crimson Tide have two just two common opponents this season - Winthrop and Appalachian State. Carolina went 3-1, while Alabama was 4-2, against the Eagles and Mountaineers.
CAROLINA-ALABAMA SERIES
The Tar Heels and Crimson Tide have met just nine times on the diamond, including just once since 1952. Carolina, which owns a 5-4 lead in the series, won the teams' last meeting in 1996, 7-6, in Orlando, Fla. at the Olive Garden Baseball Classic. The teams have one postseason meeting, an 11-3 UNC win in 1948. The Tar Heels also won three of four games with Alabama in Winter Park, Fla., over the 1951 and `52 seasons. This weekend's action will marks Carolina's first-ever trip to Tuscaloosa.
TAR HEELS' TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Tar Heels are in the midst of their 21st appearance in NCAA tournament play and their fifth straight, which marks a school record. Mike Fox has guided Carolina to the postseason in seven of his eight seasons in Chapel Hill and sports a 15-12 record after last weekend's sweep through the Chapel Hill Regional. The Tar Heels have reached the regional final in five of their last six trips to the postseason and are making their second Super Regional appearnace in the last four seasons.
In its 21 appearances, Carolina sports a 50-44 all-time NCAA record and has made four trips to the College World Series (1960, 1966, 1978, 1989). This weekend's trip to Tuscaloosa marks the Tar Heels' second trip to Super Regionals since the NCAA adopted its current tourney format in 1999.
LOOKING FOR SUPER REGIONAL SUCCESS
Carolina is in search of its first-ever Super Regional victories this weekend after going 0-2 at the 2003 NCAA Columbia Super Regional. After capturing the Starkville Regional that season, the Tar Heels lost 5-4 and 14-4 to the Gamecocks. Relievers Jonathan Hovis and Matt Danford are the only current players on the UNC roster that season.
CAROLINA BREAKS OUT THE BATS
The Tar Heels rode an offensive exposion to the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional title, outscoring their opponents 43-13, over the three-game stretch. Carolina compiled a .440 average, 22 extra-base hits and a .759 slugging percentage - all totals that surpassed the Tar Heels' top mark in any weekend series this season.
The 43 runs also marked the second-highest total of any three-game stretch this season for UNC, which tallied 47 runs in wins over Seton Hall, Coastal Carolina and George Washington, Feb. 19-24.
The Tar Heels 43 runs were the second most among the 16 teams advancing to the Super Regionals, trailing only Oklahoma's 47 runs scored in five games. Among teams that played just three regional games, Stanford was second to the Tar Heels with 36 runs.
HISTORIC WEEKEND AT THE PLATE
Carolina's outburst in the Chapel Hill Regional marked the first time it reached double-digit run totals in three straight NCAA tournament games. The Tar Heels scored at least 14 times in all three victories, and their 15 runs in the opening win over Maine equaled a school record for runs scored in NCAA play. UNC established the mark in its first-ever postseason contest, a 15-0 win over Georgia Tech in 1948. Mike Fox's 1978 squad matched the record en route to the College World Series with a 15-1 victory over East Tennessee State.
AGAINST THE NCAA FIELD
Including last weekend's games, Carolina has now played 22 of its 61 games against teams that made the 64-team NCAA tourney field. The Tar Heels, who sport a 13-9 record in these games, have faced the following NCAA teams this season (record in parentheses): Elon (1-0), Georgia Tech (1-2), Florida State (2-2), Maine (1-0), Miami (2-1), NC State (3-1), Virginia (1-2) and Winthrop (2-1).
TAR HEELS IN ELITE 20-20-20 CLUB
North Carolina is one of just four schools to have qualified for at least 20 NCAA baseball tournaments, at least 20 NCAA men's basketball tournaments and more than 20 bowl games. Joining the Tar Heels in this elite group are Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Texas. All four teams made the field of 64 this season, but only the Tar Heels and Sooners are still alive in the Super Regional round.
School BB MBB FB North Carolina 21 38 25 Notre Dame 21 27 27 Oklahoma 29 24 39 Texas 50 24 45 (Courtesy Tim Bourret, Clemson University)
UNC HOSTS FIRST REGIONAL ACTION SINCE `83
Carolina played on its home turf in the NCAA tournament for just the second time in program history and the first time since 1983 in last weekend's Chapel Hill Regional. The Tar Heels fared much better this time around, capturing the regional title in just three games to improve its home postseason record to 4-2. In between hosting home regionals, the Tar Heels played in the postseason in Columbia, S.C. (three times), Starkville, Miss. (three times), Coral Gables, Fla. (two times), Waterbury, Conn., College Station, Texas, Palo Alto, Calif., Upper Montclair, N.J., and Gainesville, Fla. The Tar Heels made just one trip to the College World Series (1989) between 1983 and 2006.
WINNINGEST HOME TEAM IN TOURNEY
The Tar Heels' 38 home victories are not only a school record but were also the most among the 16 host sites of the 2006 NCAA tournament regional round and lead the nation. In fact, of the 15 other regional host schools in this year's field, only two other teams won at least 30 regular season games at home, Clemson and Virginia with 31.
NOTING THE CAROLINA STARTERS
FRIDAY: Andrew Miller (Jr., LHP): One of the most dominant starters in the nation, the ACC Pitcher of the Year and a first-team All-America, Miller went 7-1 and allowed just 10 earned runs over 56.2 innings over his final eight starts of the regular season. The 6-6 lefty, posted a 1.59 ERA over this stretch, which included wins over nationally-ranked foes Georgia Tech, Florida State, Miami and NC State. He has struggled a bit over his last two outings, allowing nine earned runs over 14 innings.
Last time out, Miller picked up his first career NCAA tournament win with eight strong innings against No. 24 Winthrop to run his record to 6-2 against nationally-ranked opponents. He fanned six against the Eagles to reach the 300-strikeout mark for his career.
Currently tied for third on the Tar Heels' career victory list with 26, Miller is Carolina's first 12-game winner since Jim Dougherty in 1990. No Carolina starter has won more than 12 games since Greg Norris' school-record 14 victories in 1978.
The No. 6 pick in Tuesday's draft by Detroit, Miller has recorded 10 or more strikeouts four times this season and has 108 on the year and 300 in his career. He is the Tar Heels career record holder and ranks 19th in ACC history.
Miller has worked at least six innings in 14 of his 15 starts (including the last 10) and has gone at least seven in nine of his last 14 outings. On the season, Miller has allowed just 26 earned runs and sports a career-low 2.26 ERA, which ranks among the ACC's best. He has not allowed an earned run in seven of his 15 starts and has given up less than two earned runs in 10 of 15 starts. Miller also owns four shutout performances of at least six innings.
Extra-base hits have been hard to come by against Miller, who has allowed just five doubles and one home run in 103.2 innings this season. Prior to allowing a pair of doubles against Winthrop, Miller had allowed only one extra-base hit over his previous six starts - a span of 42.2 innings.
Miller has made three starts and four appearances in NCAA tournament play and is 1-2 with a 6.20 ERA in 20.1 innings. He has walked eight and fanned 19 in the postseason.
SATURDAY: Daniel Bard (Jr., RHP): Bard has been brilliant over his last seven appearances (six starts), allowing just seven earned runs over 40.1 innings for a 1.56 ERA. He has fanned 36 and walked just 14 over this stretch en route to a 5-1 record and wins of nationally-ranked NC State and Winthrop. Last time out, Bard allowed two just two runs and struck out eight in 6.2 innings as the Tar Heels topped Winthrop in the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional title game June 4. Bard had what head coach Mike Fox described as his best career outing in a complete game, four-hit shutout of NC State April 23. He struck out eight and did not walk a batter over his fourth career complete game and third shutout. With five or more strikeouts in 11 of his 14 starts, Bard is among the ACC's leaders in strikeouts per nine innings. He surpassed the 200-strikeout mark against Virginia Tech and fanned a career-high 13 in a complete game versus Purdue March 4. Bard now has 235 strikeouts in his career and can crack Carolina's top-10 list with just two more Ks. Bard has fanned a single-season career-best 90 batters this year. On the year, Bard is 8-3 with 90 strikeouts to 33 walks in 85.2 innings. He is holding opponents to a .225 average and his 3.47 ERA is a career-best mark. In three career NCAA tourney starts, Bard is 1-2 with a 4.58 ERA in 17.2 innings. He has walked 10 and struck out 17 in postseason play.
SUNDAY: Robert Woodard (Jr., RHP): A winner of 17 of his last 18 decisions, Woodard is looking for his first victory since May 13. Over his last three starts, he has allowed 11 earned runs in 13.2 innings for a 7.24 ERA. Woodard has given up 10 of his 37 earned runs over his last two starts, including a career-high six in the ACC tourney loss to Florida State May 25. In his last victory, Woodard picked up his first career shutout on a six-hitter at then-No. 9 Virginia May 13. A second-team All-ACC choice, Woodard is 6-1 this season with a 3.48 ERA over 95.2 innings. He has 47 strikeouts and has issued just 19 walks. Woodard had a run of 18.2 innings without a walk snapped against NC State and has issued just five free passes over his last 30.2 innings. One of the most consistent hurlers in the ACC, Woodard has lasted six innings or more in 10 of his 15 starts and has gone at least seven innings in five of his last nine starts, including complete game victories over top-10 opponents Virginia and Florida State. He has also allowed three earned runs or less in 11 of 15 starts and 10 of his last 13 appearances. Woodard's last win at Virginia pushed his career record to 22-3, which is good for a tie for eighth on the Tar Heels' career victory list. In NCAA tournament play, Woodard has made three starts and sports a 2-0 record and a 2.66 ERA over 20.1 innings. He tossed his first career complete game in a win over Notre Dame in last season's Gainesville Regional.
FEELING A DRAFT
Junior lefty Andrew Miller went No. 6 overall to the Detroit Tigers, and right-hander Daniel Bard went 28th to the Boston Red Sox in Tuesday's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft to become Carolina's first pair of true first rounders since B.J. Surhoff and Walt Weiss in 1985. The Tar Heels had Kyle Snyder go in round one in 1999 followed by supplemental first-rounders Mike Bynum and Brian Roberts that season.
At No. 6, Miller is the highest-drafted Tar Heel since Paul Shuey went second overall in 1992.
Carolina has now had 11 first-round selections, including 1985 No. 1 overall pick Surhoff. Toronto Blue Jays' shortstop Russ Adams was Carolina's last first-round pick in 2002. He went 14th overall.
MR. M.O.P.
Junior outfielder Jay Cox was unconcious during Carolina's regional run en route to Most Outstanding Player honors. The Smithfield, N.C., product hit .615 (8-13) and slugged a staggering 1.692 on four home runs and two doubles. He drove in 11 runs in the three games and scored eight runs.
Cox homered, scored four times and drove in a career-best five runs in the June 2 win over Maine and followed that up with the Tar Heels' fourth multi-home run game of the season in the first win over Winthrop. In the title game, Cox had two more hits, including his 13th home run of the year, which is good for a share of the team lead. He raised his average to .386 and has also driven in a career-high 55 runs to rank second on the squad.
SIX TAR HEELS ON ALL-TOURNEY TEAM
Led by MOP Jay Cox, Carolina placed six players on the Chapel Hill Regional All-Tournament team. Joining Cox (.615-4-11) on the 11-man roster were: Daniel Bard (6.2 inn., 2 ER, 8 K), Tim Federowicz (.692-1-4), Chad Flack (.400-0-5), Josh Horton (.417-1-4) and Seth Williams (.455-0-2).
Flack earned regional all-tournament honors for the second straight season after being recognized in Gainesville a year ago.
MILLER, HORTON CLAIM ALL-AMERICA HONORS
Junior left-hander Andrew Miller became North Carolina's first All-America starting pitcher since 1989, and shortstop Josh Horton picked up third-team accolades, when Collegiate Baseball newspaper announced its 2006 Louisville Slugger NCAA Division I All-America teams June 2.
Miller, who is 12-2 with a 2.26 ERA and 108 strikeouts, earns All-America honors for the first time in his career and is the first UNC starting pitcher to earn such accolades since John Thoden in 1989. The ACC Pitcher of the Year, Miller is Carolina's first first-team All-America starter since Scott Bankhead in 1984 and is the only ACC player to claim a spot on the first team.
Horton, who leads the ACC with a .409 average, has tallied career-bests of six home runs and 52 RBI on the year. The Hillsborough product has also swiped 12 bases and scored 57 runs. A two-time all-conference choice, Horton is aiming to become the first Tar Heel to hit over .400 since 2003 and just the program's second ACC batting champ since 1979.
FOUR TAR HEELS EARN ALL-ACC HONORS
Junior left-hander Andrew Miller was named Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year and was one of four Tar Heels to earn all-conference honors when the league handed out its annual postseason awards May 22. Joining Miller on the All-ACC first team were outfielder Jay Cox and shortstop Josh Horton, while right-hander Robert Woodard received second-team accolades.
Miller is now a three-time all-conference choice, while Horton and Woodard are two-time honorees.
CLOSING IN ON THE CENTURY MARK
With 96 and 95 hits respectively, Josh Horton and Chad Flack have already posted two of the top eight single-season totals in school history. But the duo will have a chance to join an elite club this weekend in Tuscaloosa, as only two Tar Heels have ever recorded 100 or more hits in a single season.
Jeremy Cleveland set the school record of 103 in 2003, and Brian Roberts notched 102 safeties in 1997. Carolina has never has two players with 100 hits in the same season.
FLACK ATTACK IS BACK
First baseman Chad Flack went 6-for-10 and drove in five runs in the Chapel Hill Regional to remain red-hot at the plate. He is riding an 11-game hitting streak and has driven in at least one run in nine straight for 15 RBI over this stretch.
Flack has driven in 41 runs in the last 28 games to take over the team lead with a career-best 60 RBI. He is batting .403 (52-129) over this stretch and has hit safely in 26 of the last 28 outings. Eight of his 11 homers have come during this run.
Flack, who is fifth in the ACC with a .377 average, leads the Tar Heels with 33 multi-hit games and now has 54 for his career, which is tied for the most on the current squad with Jay Cox.
Flack leads all current Tar Heels with career totals of 26 home runs and 109 RBI in just two seasons. His .358 career average through 118 games ranks fifth in Carolina history.
HORTON HUNTS .400, ACC BATTING TITLE
Sophomore shortstop Josh Horton carries a .409 average into the NCAA Tuscaloosa Super Regional and is aiming to become the first Tar Heel to hit over .400 since Jeremy Cleveland batted .410 in 2003.
Only four Tar Heels have hit over .400 for an entire season: Cleveland, current Baltimore Oriole Brian Roberts (1997), Jim Mooring (1961) and B.J. Surhoff (1984). Roberts and Mooring share the Carolina single-season record at .427.
Horton leads the ACC in hitting by 22 points over NC State's Matt Camp, who is batting .387, leads the league with 96 hits, which is good for a tie with Scott Bradley (1980) for fifth on Carolina's single-season hit list.
Cleveland is the only Tar Heel since 1979 to win the league batting crown, and only five Carolina players have won the title since the formation of the league in 1954.
Horton's .381 career average through 118 games is third in UNC history behind Surhoff and Roberts, two of the program's all-time greats.
FED EX BACK ON SCHEDULE
Known around the Carolina clubhouse as Fed Ex, rookie catcher/DH Tim Federowicz delivered a big weekend in the Chapel Hill Regional with a team-best .692 average (9-13), one home run and four RBI. He tacked on two doubles for a 1.077 slugging percentage on the weekend.
For the season, Federowicz is third on the team with 52 RBI and is fourth with nine home runs. The Apex, N.C., native is also second on the team with 16 doubles and is slugging .521. He also sports an outstanding arm behind the plate and has committed just two errors on the year.
Federowicz broke out of a 1-for-21 slump with four hits and his first home run in over a month against Boston College May 18. He had six hits in the BC series and leads the Tar Heels with a .500 average (16-32) over the last 10 games to raise his average to .323 on the season.
CAROLINA NETS HOME WIN RECORD AGAIN
With 38 home victories, Carolina has bested its school record for home wins for a second straight season. The Tar Heels were 32-5 year ago and closed out the season at Boshamer Stadium with a 38-4 mark following the Chapel Hill Regional. UNC has won 96 games at home over the last three seasons for an average of 32 per season.
MILLER BEST IN BIG GAMES
In eight games against nationally-ranked opponents, lefty Andrew Miller has been at his best in 2006. Versus Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Miami, NC State, Virginia and Winthrop, the Tar Heels' ace is 6-2 with a 2.38 ERA in 56.2 innings. Eight of the 15 earned runs Miller allowed in these starts came in two outings against NC State - the ACC's top hitting team. Miller held the opposition to a .208 average and notched 53 strikeouts in these games. He will make start No. 9 against ranked opponents versus Alabama this weekend.
According to Mark Ethridge of SEBaseball.com, "If he is on, Miller is scary good. If he is not on, he is still the best pitcher in the ACC."
CAVASINNI SETTING THE TABLE
Freshman outfielder/leadoff man Mike Cavasinni has continued his stellar play with 11 hits over the last five games and multi-hit games in five of the last six. The Huntersville product has been one of the hottest Tar Heels at the plate of late and is batting .372 (16-43) over the last 10 games. Cavasinni returned to the leadoff spot 11 games ago.
He has raised his average to .309 (fifth among regulars) and is third on the team with 14 steals. Cavasinni has also driven in 17 runs and scored 37 times in 55 games.
HOVIS SHINES AS LONE SENIOR
Carolina's lone senior, ace reliever Jonathan Hovis, was honored prior to the start of the May 20 game on Senior Day at Boshamer Stadium. But he really showed what he means to the Tar Heel program the night before with four innings of three-hit ball en route to a win over Boston College.
With a team-high 32 appearances, Hovis has been the Tar Heels' most reliable reliever this season. He also has an even 100 career appearances, which ranks fifth all-time at Carolina and 15th in the ACC record book.
He is 7-2 with two saves and has allowed just nine earned runs on 39 hits in 61.1 innings of work for a 1.32 ERA, which leads the ACC and ranked second nationally in the most recent NCAA stats. Hovis has seven appearances of three or more innings, including a quartet of four-inning outings, which produced three victories. He allowed just one hit over 3.1 scoreless innings to earn a win in the series clincher at Miami and tossed four shutout frames in the 14-inning win over NC State April 22.
Over his last 14 outings, Hovis has allowed just two earned runs in 31 innings for a 0.58 ERA.
TAR HEELS REACH 40 ONCE AGAIN
The May 9 win over Campbell gave Carolina its fifth straight 40-win season - a program first. The Tar Heels have had 14 40-win seasons since 1983 with seven coming in the last eight years under head coach Mike Fox. UNC's school record for victories is 51 set in 1990, and this season's 48 wins are the most by a Mike Fox-coached Carolina team and the second-best total in program history.
40-RBI CLUB
After having just three players drive in 40 or more runs a year ago, the Tar Heels already have had six players reach that mark this season, including four with at least 50 - Chad Flack (60), Jay Cox (55), Tim Federowicz (52), Josh Horton (52), Benji Johnson (41) Reid Fronk (40). Carolina last had six players drive in 40 runs in 2003, including three with 50 or more that season.
CAREER YEAR FOR COX
Even before capturing Most Outstanding Player honors at the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional, junior outfielder Jay Cox was in the midst of a career year, having already tallied career-bests of 13 home runs - after hitting just five from 2004-05 - and 55 RBI en route to first-team All-ACC honors. Also hitting a career-high .386, Cox has a career-best 14 doubles. He is slugging .655 and is also reaching base at a .481 clip - both of which are team-highs.
Cox leads all current Tar Heels with 188 career hits and 113 career RBI. He is a career .349 hitter in 170 games over the last three seasons.
