University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Carolina Baseball Season Review
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.
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.
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.
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
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
Tyler Baum
Michael Busch
Brandon Martorano
Aaron Sabato
Individual Honors
Tyler Baum
Michael Busch
Hansen Butler
Austin Bergner
Gianluca Dalatri
Ike Freeman
Joey Lancellotti
Austin Love
Brandon Martorano
Ashton McGee
Aaron Sabato
Danny Serretti
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
- 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
Players Mentioned
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