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College World Series: Diamond Heels punch ticket to Omaha

By Brandon Griffin

OMAHA, NE - JUNE 21: The North Carolina Tar Heels battle on offense in the fifth inning against the Rice Owls during the Tar Heels 7-4 win in Game 13 of the NCAA College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium on June 21, 2007 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
OMAHA, NE - JUNE 21: The North Carolina Tar Heels battle on offense in the fifth inning against the Rice Owls during the Tar Heels 7-4 win in Game 13 of the NCAA College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium on June 21, 2007 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Saturday’s win sends the Diamond Heels to Omaha for the College World Series

The North Carolina Tar Heels are going back to the College World Series for the first time since 2013.

After beating the Stetson Hatters 7-5 on Saturday, UNC became the first team to clinch a spot in Omaha with wins on back-to-back days.

UNC got off to a strong start today with a stellar first inning. The Tar Heels put up four runs on six hits to give the “away” team an early lead. All nine batters came up to bat as the Tar Heels went after Stetson pitcher Jack Perkins early.

Third basemen Kyle Datres led off with a single to get things going for the Diamond Heels. After a  ground out by Michael Busch, who reached base three times today, moved Datres from third, Cody Roberts and Brandon Riley had back-to-back doubles to give the Tar Heels a 2-0 lead.

UNC added the other two runs off a single by Zack Gahagan and a double by Ashton McGee.

McGee added another RBI for the Tar Heels in the third inning as part of a two-run inning. UNC then added another in the sixth on a sacrifice by Roberts.

That early 4-0 lead gave starting pitcher Gianluca Dalatri, who had been working back from an injury, some breathing room and he used it to pitch 3.1 solid innings. Dalatri did allow three earned runs but also struck out four guys.

From there coach Mike Fox went to his bullpen early, as he has often in these NCAA playoffs when things looked to be dangerous for the Tar Heels. Cade O’Brien, who got the win, pitched two innings of shutout ball and got a key double play in the fourth to keep the Hatters off the board.

Fox then handed the ball to work horse Brett Daniels who pitched 3.1 innings for the Tar Heels. He did give up two runs on four hits, but kept the Tar Heels in the lead while striking out three.

However, he couldn’t get the final out and Fox went to Josh Hiatt to get the save. Hiatt gave up a hit Stetson’s hottest hitter Jacob Koos, but got ASUN Player of the Year, Brooks Wilson, to fly out and record his sixth save of the season.

The win was the Tar Heels 18th straight win at home which is the longest current streak in D1 Baseball and sent UNC to the College World Series for the first time in five years.

The Tar Heels will now head to Omaha where they will face the winner of the Corvallis Super Regional.

For the complete schedule plus coverage of the College World Series, please check back with Keeping It Heel.

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