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UNC Baseball: Diamond Heels advance to Super Regional round

By Zack Pearson

Omaha, NE - JUNE 23: A general view of a bag of baseballs before the start of the game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Vanderbilt Commodores during game two of the College World Series Championship Series on June 23, 2015 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) Omaha, NE - JUNE 23: A general view of the away jersey of the Vanderbilt Commodores and the home jersey of the Virginia Cavaliers before the start of game two of the College World Series Championship Series on June 23, 2015 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Omaha, NE - JUNE 23: A general view of a bag of baseballs before the start of the game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Vanderbilt Commodores during game two of the College World Series Championship Series on June 23, 2015 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) Omaha, NE - JUNE 23: A general view of the away jersey of the Vanderbilt Commodores and the home jersey of the Virginia Cavaliers before the start of game two of the College World Series Championship Series on June 23, 2015 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /
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The UNC Baseball program advances to the Super Regional round with their win over Tennessee as they sweep the Chapel Hill Regional

For the second-straight season, the North Carolina Tar Heels’ baseball program is headed to the Super Regional round. Who and where they will play is the only thing left to be determined at this point.

UNC got a fantastic outing from starter Austin Bergner who was making his first start since being touched up by the Miami Hurricanes in the Atlantic Coast Conference. But on Sunday, with a trip to the Super Regionals on the line, Bergner delivered.

The junior right-handed pitcher threw 112 pitches in seven innings while striking out eight batters and giving up just two runs. He was feeling it for the Tar Heels and appeared to be in command for most of the game. There were very rarely any times that Bergner found himself in any trouble.

Bergner was backed by UNC’s bats early on. The Tar Heels plated the first four runs of the game in the top of the first inning as Ashton McGee’s single drove in two runs to give UNC a 2-0 lead.

UNC added another run in the top of the first on Brandon Harris’ RBI single to jump out to an early 3-0 lead. With Bergner pitching, those three runs would have been enough to win the game.  The Tar Heels would go on to add another run on a wild pitch as McGee crossed the plate.

The Volunteers answered back with a run in the bottom of the second and then another in the bottom of the fourth to pull to within 4-2. But that’s the closest they got in this game.

UNC padded their lead with a run in the top of the sixth on a bases loaded walk.

After Bergner exited in the seventh, UNC’s bullpen tossed two scoreless innings and got out of jams in the eighth and ninth inning as Tennessee put the tying run at the plate in both frames.

The win sweeps the Chapel Hill regional with a 3-0 record and wins over UNCW, Liberty and Tennessee. Manager Mike Fox moves to 40-7 at home in the NCAA Tournament and per Bryan Ives, that is the best win percentage in all of college baseball during that span.

UNC now advances to this week’s Super Regional series vs. either Auburn or Georgia Tech. If Auburn beats Georgia Tech on Sunday night, the Tar Heels will host the Super Regional in Chapel Hill. If Georgia Tech advances, the Super Regional would be hosted in Atlanta.

Next. Tar Heels use long ball to get past Liberty. dark

For more on the Diamond Heels including the Super Regional site and schedule, please check back with Keeping it Heel.

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