UNC baseball back in familiar position after Game 1 Super Regional loss to Arkansas
Shortstop Danny Serretti made the kind of joking acknowledgment after North Carolina’s 4-1 loss to Arkansas in Game 1 of the NCAA baseball tournament Super Regional on Saturday that can only come from familiarity.
The Tar Heels, as they were a week ago in the regional, are facing elimination after losing the opening game. Carolina now has to beat the Razorbacks on Sunday at 1 p.m., and again in a decisive Game 3 on Monday to earn a berth in the College World Series. But Seretti brought a bit of levity to their situation.
“We were kind of joking about it, like nothing’s been easy this year,” Serretti said. “So, it was probably always gonna be three games. But it’s baseball. You can’t win every day and today they beat us so we’re gonna back out there tomorrow and try to get a win.”
The Heels will have to do something that’s no laughing matter in order to claim one of eight spots in the CWS in Omaha, Neb. Since the NCAA adapted its current format for the tournament in 1999, UNC has never advanced out of a Super Regional without winning the first game of the series.
Each of their seven trips to Omaha this century have come after winning the first game. In 2003 and again in 2019, the Heels were knocked out by South Carolina and Auburn, respectively, after they dropped Game 1. The loss to Auburn also was the last time they hosted a Super Regional.
Carolina’s not beholden to history though after making its own last week. The Heels had never won three straight games to win a regional either in the tournament’s current format — until they did it against Georgia and Virginia Commonwealth.
UNC coach Scott Forbes said he “firmly believe(s) this group can do anything.” His stance was only strengthened after watching them win two elimination games last week while he served a suspension that stemmed from being ejected against Hofstra.
Forcing a Game 3 against Arkansas doesn’t seem so daunting when the Heels were just in the same situation a week ago against VCU.
“This is just another block in the road that we’ve had and we talked to our guys about the importance of having perspective and living in the moment,” Forbes said. “Even if we didn’t win that game today, I challenge them all the time. You have to have the same approach every day in this game. We’re realistic. We know what’s at stake.”
The Heels sat at 8-13 in the ACC after being swept in a series at Virginia. But they reeled off wins in seven of their last nine league games. They hadn’t even qualified for the 12-team ACC tournament headed into their final regular season series against Florida State. But their series sweep of the Seminoles catapulted them into the postseason.
They claimed the ACC tournament crown, essentially winning four consecutive elimination games.
“I feel like we’ve been playing with our backs against the wall for as long as I can remember,” Serretti said. “So we’re ready for it. If any team is gonna do it, it’s gonna be this one.”
To do so, Carolina hitters need to have more success against Arkansas pitching than they did against Game 1 starter Connor Noland.
UNC entered the game having been held to one run or scoreless a combined three times this season. And none of those games came during the Heels’ current run of winning 21 of their last 25 games.
Center fielder Vance Honeycutt’s solo homer in the bottom of the eighth to set a program single-season record of 25 kept them from being shut out. But Forbes said he like their approach to the plate.
“If you really know the game of baseball, as good as Nolan was, top to bottom, we only struck out eight times and he had an elite pitch,” Forbes said. “So we won’t change anything. Our guys looked great in the box, they just couldn’t get that big hit.”
The Heels believe that will change on Sunday. The one thing they’ve all taken from the past month is how to come from behind.
“Like Danny said before, our backs have been against the wall,” said starting pitcher Max Carlson, who took the loss. “I don’t think anyone’s worried. We’re just going to come back tomorrow and get to Game 3.”