And after failing to stage a comeback Tuesday night, losing to Fresno State 5-3 at Rosenblatt Stadium, that's just where it finds itself in the College World Series.

After leaving 10 men on base, committing their first error since the NCAA regionals and getting only its second career loss from pitcher Adam Warren (9-2), the Tar Heels will have to beat LSU in an elimination game on Thursday at 7 p.m. and then beat Fresno State on Friday and on Saturday to advance to the best-of-three championship series.

UNC (52-13) has taken the long road to the CWS finale before, losing its second game last season then winning three straight to force a rematch with Oregon State for the national title. (The Tar Heels lost to OSU in two games.)

So the Tar Heels remain confident they can recover.

"I went in there and I told the guys, 'We get another shot of them. We play well on Thursday, and we get another shot at them. And if we play well then, we get another shot at them, again,' '' senior Chad Flack said.

They'll have to rally better than Tuesday.

The Bulldogs -- the lowest seed to ever reach the CWS -- were supposed to be severe underdogs in this game, considering injures had them thin at pitcher.

Instead, it was the Tar Heels who looked shaky.

Despite home runs by Fresno State (43-29) in the second and fourth innings, UNC led 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth.

That's when the Bulldogs loaded the bases, forcing UNC to replace Warren (four runs on nine hits in four innings) with sophomore Brian Moran.

After a fielder's choice, Bulldog Alan Ahmady hit a two-RBI single to give his team back the lead, 4-3.

Fresno State left a combined five men on base in the fifth and sixth innings, but Carolina didn't capitalize.

In the eighth, Flack and Seth Williams were left on base when Fresno State third baseman Tommy Mendonca threw out UNC pinch-hitter Garrett Gore for the third out.

After Fresno State second baseman Erik Wetzel gave his team a 5-3 cushion with an RBI single to left field in the eight, the top of UNC's batting order came to the plate in the ninth.

But Dustin Ackley grounded out.

Then Kyle Shelton struck out swinging.

And after Tim Fedroff singled to center, Tim Federowicz hit a fly ball to right field.

And the rally attempt was over.

"As the game gets to the end and you're one run down or two runs down, if you try too hard in that batter's box, you're just toast,'' Fox said. "If you can't take a deep breath and relax, if you fight yourself at all, it really restricts you being a good hitter. And some of our guys did that tonight."

Fedroff (2-for-5, one triple), Kyle Seager and Flack recorded UNC's RBIs.

Overland and Steve Susdorf belted the home runs for the Bulldogs.

Jason Breckley (3-2) was the winning pitcher for Fresno State, forcing Carolina to now find some way to come back if it wants to play in its third straight championship series.

Said Flack of his team's shaky attempt to rally: "It's one of the things where you get better the more you do something, and I just don't think we've been in that situation a lot -- unlike last year, where we were in those types of situations coming into the World Series."

"... They played their best baseball, and we got their best shot. To hang in there, and still be in there in the end, and know we hadn't played as well as we have ... we know what we're capable of doing."

BRIEFLY: Fox said freshman Matt Harvey (7-2) will start against LSU on Thursday. UNC beat the Tigers in the opening game Sunday, 8-4.

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