The Diamond Heels took care of business this year.

Back in the day when Carolina making the College World Series was considered a long shot, it was because the Tar Heels weren’t quite good enough to play the early rounds of the NCAA tournament at home.

That is the key and the reason why Mike Fox’s program has already made it to Omaha six times. It’s not a gimme by any stretch, but the home team in college baseball has a tremendous advantage. No travel, great fan support and, by getting to play in your park, you are supposed to be the favorite.

It hasn’t always worked out for Carolina, like last year when two losses at The Bosh to Davidson ended UNC’s season with a thud. So what a thrill that the 2018 Diamond Heels validated their home assignment with three straight wins over North Carolina A&T and two over Houston.

Now they get to play at home again next weekend in the Super Regional, against 11th-seeded Stetson, and will be a heavy favorite to win two out of three and get back to the College World Series. Carolina has once again shown how much easier it is to reach Omaha if you never have to go anywhere to get there!

That is what it means to have a nationally ranked program like Fox has built.

First, you recruit the best high school stars in the state and around the nation to play at least three years. Remember, Major League Baseball can still draft and sign up 18 year olds, but if those players selected opt for college scholarships, they have to stay in school at least three years before being eligible for the draft again.

What a great rule. Maybe the NBA should try it!

Second, you turn those recruits who opted to use college baseball as their own minor league experience into one of the best teams in the country. You have to have a tradition, and Carolina has had it since Chad Flack whacked that winning home run into the Alabama night back in 2006.

Once that happened, and the Tar Heels made it to the College World Series for the first time since Fox played in Chapel Hill, Carolina had the home-field edge on doing it again and again and again.

Let’s make it the seventh again… again this year.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Related Stories
None