2007 Chapel Hill Regional

(capsules compiled by Jamie Learakos, Stuart Smith, Scott Day, Sean Ryan, Phil Stanton)

1. North Carolina Tar Heels

Chapel Hill, N.C.

Automatic bid from ACC

2007 record: 21-9, 48-12 (first in ACC-Coastal)

Coach: Mike Fox (North Carolina, 1978)

Record at school: 389-172-1, 9 years

Overall record: 928-313-5 24 years

Assistant coaches: Chad Holbrook, Scott Forbes, Jason Howell

Team offense: .320 BA, 453 R, 64 HR, .484 SLG, .390 OBA, 42/63 SB

Team pitching: 3.17 ERA, 542.0 IP, 485 H, 227 BB, 450 K

Top hitters: Dustin Ackley (.437/7/63), Tim Fedroff (.359/4/33), Tim Federowicz (.349/4/48), Josh Horton (.329/8/43), Reid Fronk (.322/11/50), Kyle Seager (.309/2/25), Seth Williams (.288/8/36)

Top pitchers: Adam Warren (10-0, 2.09, 60.1 IP, 50 H, 24 BB, 43 K), Robert Woodard (9-2, 3.29, 90.1 IP, 91 H, 22 BB, 68 K), Alex White (6-4, 3.35, 83.1 IP, 73 H, 41 BB, 77 K), Luke Putkonen (7-1, 4.23, 66.0 IP, 69 H, 20 BB, 48 K), Andrew Carignan (1-1, 1.20, 45.0 IP, 29 H, 19 BB, 54 K, 13 SV), Matt Danford(5-0, 2.45, 44.0 IP, 35 H, 21 BB, 33 K)

Last time in tournament: 2006 (3-0 Chapel Hill Regional, 2-0 Tuscaloosa Super Regional, 4-2 College World Series)

Notes: After finishing second at the 2006 College World Series, the Tar Heels have continued their winning ways. Finishing the regular season with the second-best record in the league, the Tar Heels entered the ACC Tournament looking to end a drought of ACC Tournament wins. UNC won the tournament with a victory over Wake Forest, 3-2. The Tar Heels have won 16 of their last 19 games, including a sweep of Maryland. UNC went 9-3 against ranked teams during that time. They went into the ACC Tournament ranked fourth in the nation.

2. East Carolina Pirates

Greenville, N.C.
At-large bid from Conference USA
2007 Record: 14-9, 39-21 (second in C-USA)
Coach: Billy Godwin (Atlantic Christian College, 1986)

Record at school: 72-47, two years
Overall record: 334-132, eight years
Assistant coaches: Link Jarrett, Bill Jarman, Ben Sanderson

Team offense: .286 BA, 379 R, 64 HR, .445 SLG%, .371 OBA%, 83/109 SB

Team pitching: 3.83 ERA, 534 IP, 522 H, 222 BB, 422 K

Top hitters: Dale Mollenhauer (.319/3/26), Ryan Wood (.317/5/23/14 SB), Stephen Batts (.316/5/51), Harrison Eldridge (.300/6/26/14 SB), Ryan Tousley (.294/10/48).

Top pitchers: Jason Neitz (4-2, 2.81, 51.1 IP, 38 H, 21 BB, 40 K), Josh Dowdy (5-1, 2.97, 69.2 IP, 62 H, 14 BB, 34 K), Dustin Sasser (5-4, 3.44, 89 IP, 98 H, 45 BB, 66 K), TJ Hose (6-5, 3.59, 92.1 IP, 91 H, 44 BB, 70 K), Shane Matthews (4-3, 13 SV, 4.05, 46.2 IP, 33 H, 26 BB, 59 K.

Last NCAA appearance: 2005 (0-2 at Tempe Regional).

Notes: The Pirates are back in the field in Billy Godwin’s second full season. The Pirates boasted a RPI in the teens for much of the year before falling off a bit late. Closer Shane Matthews saved 13 games and was a first-team all-conference pick. Outfielder Harrison Eldridge also was a first-team pick. Josh Dowdy made a successful move from the bullpen to the starting rotation. Reliever Jason Neitz has appeared in more than half of the Pirates’ games. Shortstop Dale Mollenhauer goes by the nickname “Ballgame.”

3. Western Carolina Catamounts
Cullowhee, N.C.

At-large bid from Southern Conference

2007 record: 20-7, 40-18 (tied for first in Southern Conference)

Coach: Todd Raleigh (Western Carolina, 1991)

Record at school: 255-207, 8 years

Overall record: same

Assistant coaches: Eric Filipek, Bradley LeCroy, Ryan McCurry

Team offense - .322 BA, 491 R, 81 HR, .515 SLG%, .412 OB%, 67/93 SB

Team pitching – 4.82 ERA, 515.1 IP, 607 H, 218 BB, 400 K

Top hitters – Kenny Smith (.396/18/79/14 SB), Blake Murphy (.377/15/63/18 2B), Barrett Shaft (.373/3/29/17 2B), Nick Liles (.343/2/38/10 2B), John Ingram (.330/11/61/16 2B), Jonathan Greene (.321/13/53/20 HBP), Steven Strausbaugh (.285/12/52/14 2B)

Top pitchers – Drew Saberhagen (8-1, 3.10, 98.2 IP, 107 H, 18 BB, 37 K), Greg Holland (4-3, 10 saves, 3.46, 41.2 IP, 42 H, 23 BB, 51 K), Tyler Sexton (8-3, 4.34, 91.1 IP, 100 H, 33 BB, 76 K), Corey Martin (5-3, 1 save, 4.81, 58 IP, 66 H, 14 BB, 37 K)

Last NCAA appearance – 2003 (2-2 at Wilson Regional)

Notes – Western Carolina is making its 11^th NCAA Tournament appearance. Todd Raleigh was a three-time All-Southern Conference selection and signed with the Boston Red Sox following his senior season. Drew Saberhagen is the son of former major league pitcher Bret Saberhagen. WCU had five players with double-figure home runs and eight with 10 or more doubles. Catamount batters have been hit by 81 pitches, compared to 35 by the opponents.

4. Jacksonville Dolphins
Jacksonville, Fla.

Automatic bid - won Atlantic Sun Tournament

2007 record: 15-12, 34-26 (fourth in A-Sun)

Coach: Terry Alexander (Florida State, 1977)

Record at school: 533-420-2, 17 years

Overall record: same

Assistant coaches: Tim Montez, Chris Hayes, Les Wright

Team offense - .287 BA, 376 R, 35 HR, .402 SLG%, .377 OB%, 88/112 SB

Team pitching – 4.57 ERA, 529.2 IP, 596 H, 218 BB, 373 K

Top hitters – Pete Clifford (.359/14/59/21 SB), Chuck Opachick (.335/0/27/16 SB), Ryan McArdle (.326/6/51), Mike McCallister (.293/5/46), Kevin Ferreira (.278/0/19/16 SB), Brad Simmons (.281/5/20)

Top pitchers – Matt Davis (4-1, 6 SV, 3.12, 52 IP, 53 H, 25 BB, 49 K), Justin Young (5-5, 3.33, 92 IP, 91 H, 34 BB, 65 K), Carson Andrew (3-2, 3.61, 47.1 IP, 54 H, 11 BB, 39 K), Matt Dobbins (3-2, 3.68, 51.1 IP, 58 H, 23 BB, 37 K), Matt Gardner (7-5, 3.82, 92 IP, 91, 35 BB, 48 K)

Last NCAA appearance – 2006 (1-2 at Athens Regional)

Notes – Jacksonville is in the tourney for the second straight year for only the second time (1994-95). Coach Terry Alexander spent 11 years as an assistant at Jacksonville before taking over the reins. Of interest, Alexander has climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. McKinley. Junior Matt Dobbins started his career as an outfielder but was converted to a pitcher his sophomore season, when he went 12-0 as one of the best pitchers in the country. A nagging back injury prevented Dobbins from returning to his sophomore form, but he provided valuable innings, and he's served as the closer the past few weeks. Justin McArdle spent a season at Florida State before transferring to Jacksonville for his senior season.