https://uncwsports.com/news/2019/5/29/ba...field.aspx
Scouting the NCAA Regional Field
WILMINGTON, North Carolina – As the two-time defending Colonial Athletic Association champion UNCW baseball team continues to prepare for its 10th NCAA regional appearance this weekend, UNCWSports.com takes a closer look at the other teams in the Chapel Hill Regional.
A Look at Liberty
Nickname: Flames
Conference: Atlantic Sun
Location & Enrollment: Lynchburg, Va. | 15,000
How They Reached NCAA Tournament: Automatic Qualifier (Atlantic Sun Champions)
NCAA Tournament Appearances (Including 2019): 6 (Most Recent – 2014)
Series vs. UNCW: Liberty leads, 8-4
Notes of Interest:
• In their first season as members of the Atlantic Sun Conference, the Flames claimed the league's tournament title with a 4-3 victory over Stetson on Sunday afternoon.
• Liberty, which posted a 5-1 record in the Atlantic Sun Tournament, had to win four straight games to earn the league title after dropping a 9-6 verdict in extra innings against Jacksonville last Thursday.
• The Flames, who won a league championship for the first time since 2013, were led by catcher Jonathan Embry last weekend. Embry was named as the ASUN Tournament Most Valuable Player after hitting .474 with two doubles and a home run.
• Embry also became the fifth Liberty baseball player to earn a conference Player of the Year award after receiving the ASUN Player of the Year accolade. The Louisville, Ky., product leads the Flames with a .311 batting average along with 10 home runs and 16 doubles.
• Liberty split a pair of games against North Carolina during the regular season, including a 2-0 victory on Mar. 19, while falling to Tennessee, 7-1, on Feb. 26 in Knoxville.
A Look at North Carolina
Nickname: Tar Heels
Conference: ACC
Location & Enrollment: Chapel Hill, N.C. | 18,819
How They Reached NCAA Tournament: Automatic Qualifier (ACC Champions)
NCAA Tournament Appearances (Including 2019): 32 (Most Recent – 2018)
Series vs. UNCW: North Carolina leads, 60-16
Notes of Interest:
• North Carolina claimed its seventh Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament title on Sunday after downing Georgia Tech, 10-2, at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
• The Tar Heels, who garnered the No. 14 national seed, are hosting an NCAA Regional for the 11th time, including the 10th time since 2006. North Carolina is 26-7 all-time in home regional games.
• Junior Michael Busch was named as the ACC Tournament MVP after slugging three home runs, including a solo shot in the seventh inning of Sunday's title game.
• Freshman Aaron Sabato, who joined Busch on the ACC All-Tournament Team, paces the Tar Heel offense with a .338 batting average and ranks second behind Busch with 14 home runs.
• Coach Mike Fox is in his 21st season at his alma mater and has guided the Tar Heels to a 932-397-1 record during his time at Chapel Hill.
A Look at Tennessee
Nickname: Volunteers
Conference: SEC
Location & Enrollment: Knoxville, Tenn. | 28,894
How They Reached NCAA Tournament: At-Large Berth
NCAA Tournament Appearances (Including 2019): 10 (Most Recent – 2005)
Series vs. UNCW: Tied, 2-2
Notes of Interest:
• The Volunteers will be making their first NCAA Regional appearance since 2005 when they reached the College World Series.
• Tennessee has been idle since dropping a 5-3 decision against Auburn in the opening round of the SEC Tournament last Tuesday.
• Sophomore outfielder Alerick Soularie garnered First-Team All-SEC honors while junior pitcher Garrett Stallings was named as the SEC's Scholar-Athlete of the Year in addition to receiving a spot on the SEC All-Defensive Team.
• Soularie paces the Volunteers with a .363 batting average with 66 hits, including 25 extra-base hits, and 45 runs batted in.
• Stallings has authored an 8-4 record with a 3.24 earned run average in 15 appearances while posting a pair of shutouts.
• Led by Stallings, the Volunteers have matched a program record with 10 shutouts this season, which ranks second in NCAA Division I.