One of the major storylines from the NCAA Baseball Tournament bracket release revolved around the SEC getting the top four overall seeds.
This left Scott Forbes and the UNC baseball program, the 2025 ACC Tournament champions, on the outside looking in.
The committee placed the Diamond Heels as the No. 5 overall seed, giving them an opportunity to host through the Super Regionals if they are able to get to that point in the tournament. While fans are angered by the SEC bias shown by the committee, head coach Scott Forbes sees it as motivation for his team.
“I’ll let you guys write about that. I think it’s perfect for this team, to be honest with you. This team has reminded me of the ’18 team.
This team, we use that the right way. But at the end of the day, we’re a national seed and we know we’re gonna play home, as long as we win. That’s what we’re most excited about. The goal still, it doesn’t matter what your national seed is, is to be the number one overall team when it all ends.”
Forbes has the right mindset. Sure, his team would've loved to have been seeded among the top four teams in the tournament, but if you look at the bigger picture, it doesn't really matter all that much.
Now, if the Tar Heels were seeded No. 9 and missed being able to potentially host a Super Regional, then it would be more of a story line.
North Carolina knows just how good of a team they are. They've essentially proved it all season long. Now, they have a chip on their shoulder to prove that college baseball doesn't just run through the SEC. The ACC is very much in the mix, and the Diamond Heels have the goal in mind to be the last team standing when the tournament comes to a close.
Don't get it wrong: Forbes and the UNC baseball program are well-aware of how the seeding played out. They are simply keeping receipts as motivation to prove the committee wrong.