University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
July 1, 2019 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL – The 2019 baseball team captured the 7th ACC Tournament Championship in program history while posting a 46-19 overall record and earning a No. 14 National Seed in the NCAA Championship. The Tar Heels hosted a NCAA Regional for the third consecutive year and Super Regional for the second straight season in Chapel Hill.
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Led by consensus All-American Aaron Sabato and fellow All-ACC selections Michael Busch and Tyler Baum, Carolina went 35-8 at home and started the postseason 7-0 for the first time under head coach Mike Fox before falling one game short of back-to-back trips to Omaha and the College World Series.
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Senior Hansen Butler was the recipient of the Francis "Tripp" Bourne Award (most dedicated) while freshman All-American Austin Love earned the Walter Rabb Award (most improved) during a breakout season on the mound. Tyler Baum was named the most valuable pitcher after going 7-3 with a 3.87 ERA while 2019 ACC Freshman of the Year Aaron Sabato and junior All-American Michael Busch were both named most valuable position players.
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TEAM AWARDS

S.H. Basnight Award: Most Valuable Position Player – Aaron Sabato & Michael Busch
S.H. Basnight Award: Most Valuable Pitcher – Tyler Baum
Walter Rabb Award: Most Improved – Austin Love
Francis "Tripp" Bourne Award: Most Dedicated – Hansen Butler
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TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• 46-19 final record, 21st consecutive 30-win season, 16th 40-win season in last 21 years
• ACC Tournament Champions
• No. 14 National Seed in NCAA Championship
• NCAA Chapel Hill Regional Host
• NCAA Chapel Hill Regional Winner
• NCAA Chapel Hill Super Regional Host
• High ranking of No. 3 in Baseball America Poll
• Baseball America Final Ranking: No. 14
• Perfect Game Final Ranking: No. 15
• D1Baseball Final Ranking: No. 15
• Collegiate Baseball Final Ranking: No. 12
• NCBWA Final Ranking: No. 14
Record Setting Performances
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Tyler Baum
Michael Busch
Brandon Martorano
Aaron Sabato
Individual Honors
Tyler Baum
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Michael Busch
Hansen Butler
Austin Bergner
Gianluca Dalatri
Ike Freeman
Joey Lancellotti
Austin Love
Brandon Martorano
Ashton McGee
Aaron Sabato
Danny Serretti
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Led by consensus All-American Aaron Sabato and fellow All-ACC selections Michael Busch and Tyler Baum, Carolina went 35-8 at home and started the postseason 7-0 for the first time under head coach Mike Fox before falling one game short of back-to-back trips to Omaha and the College World Series.
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Senior Hansen Butler was the recipient of the Francis "Tripp" Bourne Award (most dedicated) while freshman All-American Austin Love earned the Walter Rabb Award (most improved) during a breakout season on the mound. Tyler Baum was named the most valuable pitcher after going 7-3 with a 3.87 ERA while 2019 ACC Freshman of the Year Aaron Sabato and junior All-American Michael Busch were both named most valuable position players.
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TEAM AWARDS

S.H. Basnight Award: Most Valuable Position Player – Aaron Sabato & Michael Busch
S.H. Basnight Award: Most Valuable Pitcher – Tyler Baum
Walter Rabb Award: Most Improved – Austin Love
Francis "Tripp" Bourne Award: Most Dedicated – Hansen Butler
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TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• 46-19 final record, 21st consecutive 30-win season, 16th 40-win season in last 21 years
• ACC Tournament Champions
• No. 14 National Seed in NCAA Championship
• NCAA Chapel Hill Regional Host
• NCAA Chapel Hill Regional Winner
• NCAA Chapel Hill Super Regional Host
• High ranking of No. 3 in Baseball America Poll
• Baseball America Final Ranking: No. 14
• Perfect Game Final Ranking: No. 15
• D1Baseball Final Ranking: No. 15
• Collegiate Baseball Final Ranking: No. 12
• NCBWA Final Ranking: No. 14
Record Setting Performances
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Tyler Baum
- The junior finished his UNC career with an 18-4 record. His .818 winning percentage is tied for sixth best in program history with Paul Shuey (min. 20 decisions).
Michael Busch
- Busch's 143 career walks are the second most in program history. Only Dan Moylan (1998-2000) has drawn more walks (174).
- Busch's 61 walks are the third most in a season only trailing Dan Moylan (68 walks in 1999) and Colin Moran (63 walks in 2013).
- Busch's 78 runs scored are tied for fourth most in a season with Tim Federoff in 2008.
Brandon Martorano
- Martorano's 64 starts behind the plate were the second most by any catcher during Mike Fox's 21 seasons as UNC's head coach. Jacob Stallings made 65 starts in 2011.
Aaron Sabato
- Sabato's 1.149 OPS is the third best in a season during Mike Fox's 21-season tenure are UNC's head coach.
- Dustin Ackley (2009) – 1.275 OPS
- Jeremy Cleveland (2003) – 1.235 OPS
- Aaron Sabato (2019) – 1.149 OPS
- Sabato's 44 extra-base hits are tied for the second most in a season with Dustin Ackley (2009), only trailing Chris Maples who had 48 in 2002.
- Sabato's 25 doubles are tied for the fourth most in a season with Jarrett Shearin in 1998.
- Sabato's 18 home runs set a new freshman home run record besting the previous record of 15 set by Chad Flack in 2005.
- Sabato's 18 home runs are tied for 8th most in a season and are the most since Dustin Ackley hit 22 in 2009. His 18 home runs are also the most ever in the BBCOR era.
Individual Honors
Tyler Baum
- Second-team All-ACC
- 2nd round draft pick by the Oakland Athletics
- ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I Second-Team All-Region
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Michael Busch
- First-team All-ACC
- 1st round draft pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers
- ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I First-Team All-Region
- 2019 ACC All-Tournament Team
- 2019 ACC Tournament MVP
Hansen Butler
- 25th round pick by the Chicago White Sox
Austin Bergner
- 9th round draft pick by the Detroit Tigers
Gianluca Dalatri
- 40th round pick by the Detroit Tigers
Ike Freeman
- 14th round draft pick by the Cleveland Indians
- 2019 ACC All-Tournament Team
Joey Lancellotti
- 34th round pick by the New York Yankees
Austin Love
- D1 Baseball Second-Team Freshman All-American
Brandon Martorano
- 16th round pick by the San Francisco Giants
Ashton McGee
- 18th round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers
Aaron Sabato
- ACC Freshman of the Year
- First-team All-ACC
- All-ACC Freshman Team
- Collegiate Baseball First-Team All-American
- Collegiate Baseball Co-National Freshman of the Year
- Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American
- Baseball American Third-Team All-American
- Baseball American First-Team Freshman All-American
- D1 Baseball First-Team Freshman All-American
- D1 Third-Team All-American
- NCBWA National Freshman Hitter of the Year
- ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I First-Team All-Region
- ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I First-Team All-American Â
- Perfect Game First-Team Freshman All-American
Danny Serretti
- All-ACC Freshman Team
- Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American
- Perfect Game First-Team Freshman All-American
- D1 Baseball Second-Team Freshman All-American
- 2019 ACC All-Tournament Team
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Players Mentioned
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SS/2B
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