University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Hosting Is A Carolina Baseball Tradition
June 1, 2022 | Baseball
Hosting has become somewhat of a tradition for Carolina baseball.
From 2006 - 2019, the Tar Heels hosted 10 NCAA regional tournaments and reached the College World Series seven times from their Chapel Hill/Cary Regional beginnings.
This weekend, UNC will host its 11th regional since 1999 – one of only 10 schools nationally to host 10 or more regionals during that time – welcoming Georgia, VCU and Hofstra to Boshamer Stadium. The winner will advance to the Super Regional against the Stillwater Regional champion.
Over the past decade and a half, drama has gripped the fans at Boshamer Stadium during the postseason resulting in exhilarating victories and agonizing defeats (but we're not going to talk about those).
Walk-off wins have been practically common for the Tar Heels as they've ascended the college baseball ladder since the turn of the millennium.
The last time Carolina played regional host in 2019, it swept its way past UNCW, Liberty and Tennessee, but not without some late inning drama against the Seahawks in the opener.
The Heels trailed 6-5 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, but Aaron Sabato hit the game-tying home run on the first pitch of the frame before a 3:01 rain delay ensued. After play resumed, UNC loaded the bases and freshman Danny Serretti got caught in a run down between third base and home but managed to escape and scored the winning run on an errant throw.
Carolina then defeated Liberty 16-1 and knocked out Tennessee 5-2 to claim its eighth Chapel Hill [Cary] Regional title.
The first regional UNC hosted in 2006 was far less dramatic, beating Maine 15-7 in the opening game of the tournament before disposing of Winthrop in convincing fashion the next two nights, 14-4 and 14-2.
Chad Flack provided the dramatics the next round in Tuscaloosa.
The Tar Heels hosted regionals four consecutive years from 2006 – 2009 and didn't lose a game. Two years later they extended their regional home winning streak to 15 games with a sweep in 2011.
Of those five regionals, 2007 was arguably the toughest. Carolina needed a pair of come from behind victories over a pair of sister institutions to prolong its streak. The Heels rallied for three runs in the ninth inning of an 11-10 victory over East Carolina in the winner's bracket game before Josh Horton's two-run, two-out ninth inning single pushed UNC past Western Carolina in the regional title game.
"I think we had a little bit of pressure on us actually in this regional and I'm not quite sure why," former UNC Head Coach Mike Fox said following the win over WCU. "Maybe people expected us to win with last year."
By the time the Heels were back home for the 2013 Chapel Hill Regional, those expectations had grown and so had the reputation of the program.
Carolina was awarded the top overall seed that year, squarely placing a bullseye on its back.
After opening the tournament with a pair of wins over Canisius and Towson, the Tar Heels faced Florida Atlantic with the chance to advance. However, the Owls posted a 3-2 win to force a winner-take all championship game.
UNC took a 6-2 lead into the ninth inning of the regional finale but gave up six runs – including a grand slam by Tyler Rocklein – to trail 8-6. Carolina tied it with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. FAU took a 11-8 lead in the top of the 12th, but Carolina tied it and the game and continued well into the night
Carolina loaded the bases in the bottom of the 13th and at approximately 1:04 a.m., Cody Stubbs drove in the winning run to send the Tar Heels to the Super Regionals.
Another three-game regional sweep followed in 2018 with UNC blanking N.C. A&T, 11-0, in the opener and taking out Houston, 4-3 and 19-11, over the next two days to reach their eighth Super Regional in 13 years.
From 2006 - 2019, the Tar Heels hosted 10 NCAA regional tournaments and reached the College World Series seven times from their Chapel Hill/Cary Regional beginnings.
This weekend, UNC will host its 11th regional since 1999 – one of only 10 schools nationally to host 10 or more regionals during that time – welcoming Georgia, VCU and Hofstra to Boshamer Stadium. The winner will advance to the Super Regional against the Stillwater Regional champion.
Over the past decade and a half, drama has gripped the fans at Boshamer Stadium during the postseason resulting in exhilarating victories and agonizing defeats (but we're not going to talk about those).
Walk-off wins have been practically common for the Tar Heels as they've ascended the college baseball ladder since the turn of the millennium.
The last time Carolina played regional host in 2019, it swept its way past UNCW, Liberty and Tennessee, but not without some late inning drama against the Seahawks in the opener.
The Heels trailed 6-5 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, but Aaron Sabato hit the game-tying home run on the first pitch of the frame before a 3:01 rain delay ensued. After play resumed, UNC loaded the bases and freshman Danny Serretti got caught in a run down between third base and home but managed to escape and scored the winning run on an errant throw.
Carolina then defeated Liberty 16-1 and knocked out Tennessee 5-2 to claim its eighth Chapel Hill [Cary] Regional title.
The first regional UNC hosted in 2006 was far less dramatic, beating Maine 15-7 in the opening game of the tournament before disposing of Winthrop in convincing fashion the next two nights, 14-4 and 14-2.
Chad Flack provided the dramatics the next round in Tuscaloosa.
The Tar Heels hosted regionals four consecutive years from 2006 – 2009 and didn't lose a game. Two years later they extended their regional home winning streak to 15 games with a sweep in 2011.
Of those five regionals, 2007 was arguably the toughest. Carolina needed a pair of come from behind victories over a pair of sister institutions to prolong its streak. The Heels rallied for three runs in the ninth inning of an 11-10 victory over East Carolina in the winner's bracket game before Josh Horton's two-run, two-out ninth inning single pushed UNC past Western Carolina in the regional title game.
"I think we had a little bit of pressure on us actually in this regional and I'm not quite sure why," former UNC Head Coach Mike Fox said following the win over WCU. "Maybe people expected us to win with last year."
By the time the Heels were back home for the 2013 Chapel Hill Regional, those expectations had grown and so had the reputation of the program.
Carolina was awarded the top overall seed that year, squarely placing a bullseye on its back.
After opening the tournament with a pair of wins over Canisius and Towson, the Tar Heels faced Florida Atlantic with the chance to advance. However, the Owls posted a 3-2 win to force a winner-take all championship game.
UNC took a 6-2 lead into the ninth inning of the regional finale but gave up six runs – including a grand slam by Tyler Rocklein – to trail 8-6. Carolina tied it with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. FAU took a 11-8 lead in the top of the 12th, but Carolina tied it and the game and continued well into the night
Carolina loaded the bases in the bottom of the 13th and at approximately 1:04 a.m., Cody Stubbs drove in the winning run to send the Tar Heels to the Super Regionals.
Another three-game regional sweep followed in 2018 with UNC blanking N.C. A&T, 11-0, in the opener and taking out Houston, 4-3 and 19-11, over the next two days to reach their eighth Super Regional in 13 years.
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