These days, that's often preceded by the twang of Brooks and Dunn. Or the clang of Metallica. Or the bang of Eminem.

"For me, I walk up there to my music, it's a fun thing,'' said North Carolina shortstop Garrett Gore, who recently changed his tune from Phil Collins' "Sussudio" to a ditty by C&C Music Factory. "I hear the beat ... and it pumps me up, but it also helps me relax."

Indeed, entrance music, usually played when a batter approaches the box or a new pitcher runs onto the field, has been a big hit among players at UNC and N.C. State the past few years.

They'll get to "walk up" to their own tunes for the final time today, when the No. 2 Tar Heels (42-9, 20-6 ACC) face Winthrop and the No. 21 Pack (35-16, 17-9) plays N.C. A&T in both teams' regular-season home finales.

Both squads adopted the practice from Major League Baseball, where pro players' theme songs started gaining popularity after the 1989 hit movie "Major League," during which Charlie Sheen played an erratic closer who walked to the mound to the tune of "Wild Thing."

State and UNC players usually choose a tune because it plays off their name or number, is a personal favorite, has a significant meaning -- or sometimes, a combination of the three.

N.C. State first baseman Pat Ferguson, for example, chose Sublime's "Doin' Time" as his music his freshman year, "because it was about 30 degrees the first game we played in, and the song started with a line about summertime,'' he said. "... I guess it made me feel warmer."

At the beginning of this season, teammates persuaded the redshirt junior to change his music to Fergie's "Fergalicious" as a play off his last name. Although he didn't really like the song, Ferguson tried it and batted .310 with two homers and 11 RBIs in February and March.

He switched back to Sublime at the beginning of April and is hitting .368 with seven homers and 17 RBIs since then.

"I guess he made a good choice,'' Wolfpack coach Elliott Avent said of the switch. "Hey, if it helps your batting average improve and helps your mood at the plate, why not?"

UNC coach Mike Fox shook his head at the walk-up music phenomenon; he said he doesn't really care what's played as long as it's clean and it stops as soon as a hitter steps in the box. Both schools insist on using G-rated versions of songs, if lyrics and language make it necessary.

"I don't pay much attention to the music, but every once in a while, one will catch my ear and I'll just think, 'That might be the worst song I've ever heard,' " said Fox, who described himself as an "old fogey" when it comes to music.

"Some of them are comical, but some really describe our players well. Mike McKee, he's the spiritual leader on our team; he leads chapel a lot, and his song is about his relationship with God."

McKee's tune is "You Are God Alone" by Phillips, Craig and Dean, but a plethora of artists and genres can be heard at both schools. (Duke does not use personalized walk-up music.)

Senior Ryan Pond, the Wolfpack's resident Parrot Head, used Jimmy Buffett's "Beachhouse on the Moon" for a couple of years, switched to "Piece of Work," then switched back when he didn't think he was playing as well.

Tar Heels senior Chad Flack began the season with Trace Adkins' "I Got My Game On" before his teammates switched him back to his freshman favorite by T.I., "The King," awhile back. He remembers hitting a home run that game.

UNC catcher Tim Federowicz signed up for two songs on the preseason list: "Chain Hang Low" by Jibbs when he bats and "He Got Game" by Public Enemy when he pitches.

Tracks by Stevie Wonder, Rage Against the Machine, 2Pac and Alabama also pepper both teams' walks to the batter's box and mound.

"That's one of those newer things in baseball that I still don't fully understand,'' Avent said. "But it's fine. I'm all about a good atmosphere at the park, and it does add to the atmosphere. Baseball should be festive and fun. It helps with the mood at the park, so I'm all for it."

Because the ACC and NCAA don't allow personalized entrance music during the postseason tournaments, today will mark the last time this season that the Tar Heel and Wolfpack players can use it.

Twang. Clang. Bang.

Not that any senior will likely get overly sentimental; they're looking more forward to the possibility of future aluminum-aided pings.

"Definitely, it will be great to hear [the music] because they've played my song every time I've played at Doak Field,'' Pond said. "But what would be even better is if they didn't play it the last time I'm there -- because it means we're hosting a regional."

(Staff writer Chip Alexander contributed to this report.)