2009 Chapel Hill Regional

Capsules compiled by Christina De Nicola, Duncan Phillips, Sean Ryan, Phil Stanton

1. North Carolina Tar Heels

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

At-large bid from the ACC

2009 record: 19-10, 42-16 (first in ACC Coastal Division)

Head coach: Mike Fox (North Carolina, 1978)

Record at school: 494-206-1, 12 years

Overall record: 494-206-1, 12 years

Assistant coaches: Scott Forbes, Scott Jackson, Chad Flack, Matt McCay

Team offense: .301 BA, 414 R, 62 HR, .473 SLG%, .396 OB%, 52-76 SB

Team pitching: 3.71 ERA, 523.2 IP, 481 H, 231 BB, 586 K

Top hitters: Dustin Ackley (.399/20/61/12-16 SB), Kyle Seager (.385/4/48/12-13 SB), Ben Bunting (.329/2/32), Mark Fleury (.310/12/58), Levi Michael (.293/13/51, Garrett Gore (.290/3/33), Ryan Graepel (.280/2/35)

Top pitchers: Brian Moran (7-1, 3 SV, 2.09 ERA, 60.1 IP, 39 H, 8 BB, 82 K), Adam Warren (7-2, 3.46 ERA, 78 IP, 67 H, 33 BB, 81 K), Alex White (7-4, 4.13 ERA, 85 IP, 73 H, 34 BB, 92 K), Patrick Johnson (2-2, 1 SV, 2.80 ERA, 54.2 IP, 43 H, 34 BB, 74 K), Colin Bates (3-2, 6 SV, 3.02 ERA, 53.2 IP, 49 H, 16 BB, 55 K), Nate Striz (2-0, 1 SV, 3.68 ERA, 22 IP, 18 H, 12 BB, 25 K)      

Last NCAA appearance: 2008 (3-0 Cary Regional, 2-0 in Cary Super Regional, 2-2 College World Series)

Notes: North Carolina is making its 24th NCAA postseason appearance and its record eighth straight. The Tar Heels will host a regional for the fourth year in a row. Head coach Mike Fox and company have made it to Omaha in each of the past three years, and have won at least 40 games for eight consecutive seasons. UNC is the only team to earn a top-four seed each of the past three years. The Tar Heels have won 207 games over the past four seasons, the top mark in the nation. Fox earned his 1,000th career victory on March 4 against Gardner-Webb. He is one of 10 active Division I coaches with 1,000 wins. UNC leads the nation with 586 strikeouts. The Tar Heels have two of the top players in the nation in first baseman Dustin Ackley and starting pitcher Alex White. Both are expected to be among the first players taken in the upcoming MLB draft. Ackley is the 2009 ACC Player of the Year. Senior right-hander Adam Warren is one of 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, which recognizes student-athletes for Classroom, Character, Community and Competition. UNC moved into its new facility this spring, Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium, with a seating capacity of 4,100. The Tar Heels averaged 1,735 fans in 38 home games with a record of 31-7. Matt Harvey’s father, John, played baseball and football at Connecticut and played in the 1972 College World Series. Left-hander Brian Moran is the nephew of former Tar Heel B.J. Surhoff. Freshman Jacob Stallings is the son of Vanderbilt head basketball coach Kevin Stallings.

2. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

Conway, South Carolina

Automatic bid – Won Big South tournament

2009 record: 21-5, 46-14 (first in Big South)

Head coach: Gary Gilmore (Coastal Carolina, 1980)

Record at school: 553-291, 14 years

Overall record: 806-393, 20 years

Assistant coaches: Kevin Schnall, Brendan Dougherty, Drew Thomas

Team offense: .333 BA, 505 R, 81 HR, .535 SLG%, .420 OB%, 118/152 SB

Team pitching: 3.85 ERA, 530 IP, 497 H, 179 BB, 439 K

Top hitters: David Anderson (.389/20/79/.750 SLG), Tyler Bortnick (.374/11/44), Adam Rice (.371/7/56), Daniel Bowman (.332/11/51), Chance Gilmore (.328/6/27), Rico Noel (.317/7/44/46-49 SB), Jose Iglesias (.299/10/42).

Top pitchers: Nick McCully (7-1, 1.92, 8 SV, 65.2 IP, 48 H, 22 BB, 60 K), Matt Rein (5-0, 2.89, 37.1 IP, 34 H, 8 BB, 31 K), Anthony Meo (9-2, 2.92, 74 IP, 62 H, 29 BB, 66 K), Cody Wheeler (10-0, 3.34, 89 IP, 72 H, 28 BB, 96 K), Austin Fleet (7-2, 3.73, 60.1 IP, 60 H, 13 BB, 27 K).

Last NCAA appearance: 2008 (3-0 at Conway Regional, 0-2 at Chapel Hill Super Regional)

Notes: Coastal Carolina won a Big South-record 21 games in winning the regular-season title for the fourth time in five years. The Chanticleers’ 46 wins are among the nation’s best and they have nine 40-win seasons in the past 11 years (an average of 43 per year). Nick McCully – who has won six games and saved eight others – Cody Wheeler and Anthony Meo have combined to win 24 games, and all have an ERA under 3.11. Opponents hit .208 off Wheeler and .212 off McCully. David Anderson has 49 career homers, most in school history.  48 career homers, tied for first in school history. His 79 RBI are the fourth most in Big South history. Rico Noel stole seven bases in the Big South Tourney and is 46 of 49 on the year. Chance Gilmore is the son of coach Gary Gilmore and originally attended Virginia, where he redshirted due to an injury. Preseason All-American Scott Woodward missed a month with a broken finger but still hit .288 with 30 SB. Adam Rice stepped into the second spot of the order and flourished, closing the season with a .452 average and 36 RBI in the final 27 games of the regular season. The Chants are 38-1 when leading after seven innings and field at a .969 clip.

3. Kansas Jayhawks

Lawrence, Kansas

At-large bid from Big 12

2009 record: 15-12, 37-22 (fifth in Big 12)

Head coach: Ritch Price (Willamette, 1978)

Record at school: 240-191-1, 7 years

Overall record: 457-409-2, 15 years

Assistant coaches: Ryan Graves, John Szefc, Kevin Frady

Team offense: .302 BA, 427 R, 54 HR, .456 SLG%, .389 OB%, 41-55 SB

Team pitching: 4.36 ERA, 518.1 IP, 531 H, 168 BB, 446 K

Top hitters: Tony Thompson (.374/19/78/25 2B/.730 SLG%), Brian Heere (.363/5/37/11 2B), David Narodowski (.345/5/38/19 2B), Buck Afenir (.340/9/60/11 2B), Robby Price (.302/5/29/11 2B), Jason Brunansky (.280/2/12), Nick Faunce (.278/2/27), Casey Lytle (.275/2/23/11-12 SB)

Top pitchers: Brett Bollman (5-0, 3.07 ERA, 55.2 IP, 53 H, 7 BB, 35 K), Colton Murray (2-3, 3.16 ERA, 37 IP, 31 H, 20 BB, 36 K), T.J. Walz (8-2, 4.18 ERA, 79.2 IP, 78 H, 29 BB, 86 K), Shaeffer Hall (4-6, 4.63 ERA, 83.2 IP, 99 H, 10 BB, 59 K), Lee Ridenhour (6-3, 1 SV, 4.65 ERA, 79.1 IP, 86 H, 23 BB, 49 K), Paul Smyth (1-5, 9 SV, 5.00 ERA, 27 IP, 31 H, 8 BB, 18 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2006 (1-2 in Corvallis Regional)

Notes: This is the fourth NCAA Tournament appearance for Kansas and first since 2006. The Jayhawks have a 6-5 record in the NCAA tourney. In its first appearance in 1993, Kansas lost its first game and then won four straight to capture the Mideast Regional in Knoxville, Tenn., and advance to the College World Series. The Jayhawks went 0-2 in Omaha. Senior catcher Buck Afenir is a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award. Third baseman Tony Thompson was first team all-Big 12, while Afenir, outfielder Brian Heere and pitcher T.J. Walz were second team. Shaeffer Hall tossed a no-hitter against Air Force in the season opener on Feb. 20. The Jayhawks were 25-3 at home this season at Hoglund Ballpark. Outfielder Jason Brunansky is the son of former major leaguer Ton Burnansky, who played 14 seasons with the Angels, Twins, Cardinals, Red Sox and Brewers. Robby Price is the son of head coach Ritch Price.

4. Dartmouth Big Green

Hanover, New Hampshire

Automatic bid – Won Ivy League Championship

2009 record: 16-4, 27-16 (first in Red Rolfe Division)

Head coach: Bob Whalen (Maine, 1979)

Record at school: 376-393-1, 20 years

Overall record: 376-393-1, 20 years

Assistant coaches: George Roig, Nicholas Enriquez, Tom Carlson

Team offense: .311 BA, 339 R, 43 HR, .485 SLG%, .402 OBP, 28-33 SB

Team pitching: 5.90 ERA, 355.2 IP, 477 H, 90 BB, 230 K

Top hitters: Nick Santomauro (.365/8/40/13 2B), Joe Sclafani (.351/2/34/6 3B), Mike Pagliarulo (.338/6/40/12 2B), Ray Allen (.336/10/44), Jim Wren (.331/5/44/11 2B), Johnathon Santopadre (.326/5/29), Jeff Onstott (.324/4/32), Brett Gardner (.313/3/21)

Top pitchers: Kyle Hendricks (6-2, 4.14 ERA, 63 IP, 78 H, 15 BB, 47 K), Robert Young (5-3, 4.57 ERA, 61 IP, 70 H, 20 BB, 37 K), Ben Murray (6-1, 4.80 ERA, 54.1 IP, 69 H, 8 BB, 33 K), Colin Britton (3-2, 5.87 ERA, 38.1 IP, 56 H, 11 BB, 18 K), Ryan Smith (2-3, 11 SV, 6.06 ERA, 32.2 IP, 41 H, 4 BB, 28 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 1987 (1-2 at Northeast Regional)

Notes: Dartmouth is making its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance. The Big Green reached the College World Series in 1970 after winning District 1. Dartmouth defeated Iowa State in the first round in Omaha before falling to Florida State and USC. Dartmouth’s last title was 22 years ago in the Eastern Intercollegiate Baseball League. First baseman Mike Pagliarulo is the son of the former major leaguer by the same name. The father of catcher Kyle Evans is an assistant coach at Missouri State (Paul Evans). Former major leaguers from Dartmouth include Brad Ausmus, Jim Beattie, Pete Broberg, Mark Johnson and Mike Remlinger. The Big Green had three players selected in the 2008 MLB draft and have had 11 players selected in the past nine years.