1 North Carolina
2 Tennessee
3 Liberty
4 UNCW
North Carolina is hosting a Regional for the third straight year, and the Tar Heels feature a few big bats, especially Aaron Sabato (.338/14/56) and Michael Busch (.294/15/55), who leads three players with more than 40 walks with 56. Welcome back to Tennessee, which is in the field for the first time since 2005. The Vols are deep on the mound and have backed starters like Garrett Stallings (8-4, 3.24, 103 K, 100 IP) with stellar relief – a 3.60 team ERA keeps them in games. Liberty, which split two games with the Tar Heels, has an ace in Andrew McInvale (10-2, 3.25) and a standout rookie in Will Wagner, who led the team with 70 hits and is the son of former MLB star Billy Wagner. UNCW coach Mark Scalf is getting the ultimate retirement gift – one last trip to Regionals. As always, the Seahawks can spin it, and Greg Jones (.343/5/33) has speed (40/50 SB) and pop.
Sean – My head is saying go with the home team, especially after a terrific run in the ACC tourney, but my gut is saying it’s a wide-open Regional, and Tennessee may have the pitching to last the longest. We’ll go with my gut.
Phil: Tough competition from UT, Liberty and UNCW, but Aaron Sabato and Michael Busch help UNC hold on to advance.