Tar Heel baseball to miss ACC Tournament for the first time

With a 10-2 win against No. 12 Virginia Tech on Saturday, North Carolina closed its regular season with a three-game sweep of the Hokies in Boshamer Stadium.

But for the Tar Heels (36-20, 14-16 ACC), it was too little, too late.

Boston College’s win against Georgia Tech on Saturday keeps UNC out of the ACC Tournament. This is the first year the Tar Heels will not be playing in the conference tournament, which will begin Wednesday in Greensboro.

Even though it came up short, coach Mike Fox remained positive about his team’s improved last-minute effort.

“We did what we had to do just to give ourselves a chance,” he said. “It’s easier said than done. I’m certainly proud of the way we finished the season.”

Junior Matt Harvey pitched Thursday’s opener, throwing seven strikeouts in seven innings. Redshirt junior Colin Bates pitched six relief innings on Friday, striking out seven and only allowing three hits in the 5-3 win.

Third baseman Levi Michael, who led the Tar Heels on Sunday with three RBIs on two hits, was grateful for the near-spotless pitching during the weekend.

“It takes a lot of pressure off of us hitters,” Michael said. “We’re more relaxed at the plate, we’re not under as much pressure to make something out of nothing, and we just sit back and let the game come to us a little more.”

The series was the possible ending to the college careers of seniors Mike Cavasinni and Ryan Graepel, who had two hits apiece in their final game in Boshamer Stadium. But freshman Brian Goodwin proved the promise for the future in the young North Carolina squad.

The 6-foot-1 right fielder contributed two hits in each of the three games, notching a total of seven RBIs. In the fourth inning of Thursday night’s opener, he drove in three Tar Heels with a home run.

For Cavasinni, knowing the freshman slugger will be there to take his place in the outfield is more than reassuring.

 “He’s going to be an unbelievable centerfielder and an unbelievable hitter,” Cavasinni said. “Knowing that I had the opportunity to play next to him and hopefully teach him a couple things, it’s a great feeling.”

The Tar Heels, who came into the Virginia Tech series 1-11 against Coastal Division opponents, can only hope that improved play in May will be enough to secure their postseason ticket. But until the NCAA playoff games are chosen next Sunday, all they can do is wait.

“It’s a new territory for all of us,” said Fox, whose team has appeared in the College World Series the previous four years. “We’ll have to deal with it as best we can. We made that bed and we’re responsible for where we are.”