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REGIONAL THREAD: Chapel Hill, NC - May 31 - June 3rd, 2013

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REGIONAL THREAD: Chapel Hill, NC - May 31 - June 3rd, 2013




What:    2013 NCAA Chapel Hill Baseball Regional

Who:

1. North Carolina 52-8 (ACC Auto)
2. Florida Atlantic 39-20 (SBC Auto)
3. Towson 29-28 (CAA Auto)
4. Canisius 42-15 (MAAC Auto)

When:

Friday, May 31st
Game 1: #2 FAU 2  #3 Towson 7
Game 2: #1 UNC 6  #4 Canisius 3

Saturday, June 1st
Game 3: #2 FAU 14  #4 Canisius 6
Game 4: #3 Towson 5 #1 UNC 8

Sunday, June 2nd
Game 5: #2 FAU 6  #3 Towson 5
Game 6: #1 UNC 2  #2 FAU 3

Monday, June 3rd
Game 7: #2 FAU vs. #1 UNC @ 8:05 PM



WhereBoshamer Stadium

Stats:    Here

Video:    ESPN3


Series:

Florida Atlantic will meet against Towson and potentially Canisius for the 1st time. North Carolina took all three games from FAU (1-7, 13-14, 7-8) in the Owls' 2008 Home season opening series. The Tar Heels came into the trio ranked 5th in the Nation.


Pre-Tournament News & Notes:






Projected Starting Pitchers

Friday:  RHP Benton Moss (8-1, 3.56 ERA)

Saturday:      LHP Kent Emanuel (10-3, 2.11 ERA)

Sunday:    LHP Hobbs Johnson (4-0, 2.14 ERA)


The Tar Heels are making their 28th NCAA appearance, but first as the nation's top overall seed in the tournament. North Carolina claimed the ACC regular season crown, and was able to follow that up with a title at the conference tournament.

UNC is the only team in the country this season to have not lost back-to-back games, and is ranked #1 in the RPI according to Warren Nolan.

Kent Emanuel, the ACC Pitcher of the Year, anchors a rotation that ranks fourth in the nation with a 2.52 ERA. Emanuel is considered a top major league prospect, and has tossed two shut outs this season along with four complete games.

Benton Moss is another standout starter, who was selected to the Freshman All-American team last season. Southpaw Hobbs Johnson rounds out the rotation and is holding opponents to a .202 batting average . Freshman Trent Thornton is the club's top reliever and is 9-1 this year with six saves.

North Carolina's offense is led by third baseman Colin Moran, who finished first in the country with 84 RBIs this season. Moran was named the ACC Player of the Year, and is batting .357 with 13 home runs.

Last year the Tar Heels were eliminated in their regional, losing two games to three-seeded St. John's. UNC hasn't lost many games this season, but six of them have came when facing a left-handed starter.







Projected Starting Pitchers

Friday:      RHP Jeremy Strawn (5-2, 2.94 ERA)

Saturday: LHP Austin Gomber (7-4, 2.97 ERA)

Sunday:    RHP Jake Meiers (6-3, 4.69 ERA)


The Owl's find themselves in midst of a 11-game win streak, which is the second longest active streak in college baseball behind Austin Peay, who has claimed 15 straight victories. FAU hasn't lost since a May 7th decision against Florida, and has won ten games away from home following the loss.

The program is making their 10th NCAA Regional appearance, and first since 2010. FAU was able to claim the Sun Belt Tournament and its automatic-bid, thanks to sound pitching and an offensive outburst on Sunday in which the club produced a season-high 16 runs and amassed 16 hits.

Freshman second baseman Brendon Sanger leads the team with a .373 batting average and has drove in nine runs over the past five games. Senior Nathan Pittman and sophomore Mitch Morales are also hitting above the .300 clip and have proved to be offensive sparks at different points in the season.

On the hill, Austin Gomber has won three of his last four starts and has only given up four earned runs in those contests. He will move to Saturday duty this weekend, as Jeremy Strawn takes Friday over, and Jake Meiers will throw Sunday.

Closer Hugh Adams should continue to be a force out of the bullpen, but the Owls will likely also have to rely on individuals such as Kevin Alexander, Bo Logan and Michael Sylvestri in mid relief roles.

FAU has been quick to score this season and is 28-7 when crossing the plate first. The team is also 28-1 when leading after the seventh inning.






Projected Starting Pitchers

Friday:      RHP Mike Volpe (9-3, 3.86 ERA)

Saturday:  RHP Paul Beers (1-6, 4.88 ERA)

Sunday:    RHP Brandon Gonnella (4-4. 5.22 ERA)


The Tigers strung together some late-season heroics to make an NCAA appearance, winning four straight at the Colonial Athletic Conference Tournament to gain an automatic bid. Towson had entered the tournament as a four-seed, but timely hitting carried the team to a championship and postseason appearance.

Senior Mike Volpe threw 139 pitches on Sunday against William and Mary to cap off the run, as the Tiger's bats tallied 14 hits in the winning effort. The performance from Volpe marked the first complete game of his career, but came on just two days rest. Towson had started Volpe on Friday and elected to reuse the right-hander knowing that it was their best chance at winning the tournament.

Towson will now travel to Chapel Hill with some tired arms, but also with a chance to continue their winning ways. The Tigers have scored 47 runs in their last four games and hit .406 as a team during that span.

The lineup ranks eight in the country with 127 doubles on the year, and is led by rightfielder Dominic Fratantuono, who is hitting .345. Kurt Wertz has produced a team-high 63 RBIs out of the designated hitter role, and has hit 13 home runs.

Defensively, the Tigers have turned 79 double plays this season, which leads the nation. Catcher Andrew Parker was named the CAA Defensive Player of the Year and has thrown out 28 of 51 attempted base stealers.

Towson is 2-5 against ranked teams this season having taken two of three games from then No. 21 North Carolina Wilmington. The Tigers haven't won more than four games in a row and are 10-22 when being out-hit by an opponent.






Projected Starting Pitchers

Friday:      RHP Garret Cortright (11-3, 2.24 ERA)

Saturday:  LHP Alex Godzak (8-3, 3.22 ERA)

Sunday:    TBA


The Golden Griffins will be making their NCAA debut after winning the MAAC Championship in thrilling fashion. Canisius was tied with Siena in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs, when a bases loaded walk would plate the game winning run and a regional berth.

Canisius, a private college located in Buffalo, NY, set the conference record for wins in a season (42) with the victory and claimed their first ever MAAC baseball crown. The Golden Griffins sport an offense that is hitting .307 on the year, which is good enough to rank 17th in the country.

Junior Garret Cortright is the ace of the pitching staff, having amassed an 11-3 record on the year. The six-foot-five right-hander has a 2.24 ERA this season and has thrown five complete games. Complementing him in the rotation is freshman Alex Godzak, who was named the MAAC Baseball Rookie of the Year. The southpaw has eight wins on the season, but hasn't factored into the decision of his last two starts.

Closer Jon Fitzsimmons was selected as the MAAC Baseball Co-Relief Pitcher of the Year, after claiming the same award a season ago. He brings a 1.19 ERA out of the bullpen and has 10 saves to his name.

As a team, the Golden Griffins have stolen 106 bases this year. Left fielder Christian Segar leads the club with 14 stolen bags, and is batting .333 out of the leadoff role. First baseman Jimmy Luppens has 47 RBIs and five home runs.

Canisius is a stout 30-10 away from home this season.
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Re: REGIONAL THREAD: Chapel Hill, NC - May 31 - June 2nd, 2013

Anyone know if any high ranking members of the Athletic Department are making the trip to make connections with other Athletic Departments to find out about their makerting strategies. Plus that whole area around Raliegh and Durham is know as the research triangle, perfect chance to pitch the university and the department.
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Re: REGIONAL THREAD: Chapel Hill, NC - May 31 - June 2nd, 2013

Someone will attend - it's common practice to have an administrator on duty for a trip of this caliber. But the scope will not be defined as a marketing strategy session.
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Re: REGIONAL THREAD: Chapel Hill, NC - May 31 - June 2nd, 2013

there will be talks with other ad's right, im just saying its a chance to get some insight from other schools.
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Re: REGIONAL THREAD: Chapel Hill, NC - May 31 - June 2nd, 2013

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Re: REGIONAL THREAD: Chapel Hill, NC - May 31 - June 2nd, 2013

Big Time.......

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Re: REGIONAL THREAD: Chapel Hill, NC - May 31 - June 2nd, 2013

Dieter with a nice story out on Coach Mack today:

Odds against them, FAU baseball coach John McCormack picks the Owls
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Re: REGIONAL THREAD: Chapel Hill, NC - May 31 - June 2nd, 2013

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Re: REGIONAL THREAD: Chapel Hill, NC - May 31 - June 2nd, 2013




What:    #2 FAU (39-20) vs. #3 Towson (29-28)

When:      Fri, May 31st at 1:00 PM

Where:    Boshamer Stadium


Video:    Here

Audio:    Here

Stats:    Here


Projected Starting Pitchers:

FAU - RHP Jeremy Strawn (5-2, 2.94 ERA)
TOW - RHP Mike Volpe (9-3, 3.86 ERA)
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Re: REGIONAL THREAD: Chapel Hill, NC - May 31 - June 2nd, 2013

Good Luck Owls!

FAU - We got Bowls!
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