The Heels' bats finally arrive in Omaha.
UNC banged out 23 hits and ran out to an 8-0 lead on their way to crushing the Golden Eagles 11-4. Southern Miss is now summarily dismissed from the College World Series and the Tar Heels get a rematch with Arizona St in another elimination game. ASU lost 10-6 to Texas.
Dustin Ackley went 5-6 with three RBIs which got the offense rolling on a day when Adam Warren was less than sharp. Warren ended up walking five Southern Miss batter and gave up a three run homer. With the offense cooking, Warren did not need to be great just good enough.
Looking ahead to ASU, Tar Heel Blue says Matt Harvey will get the start but no word yet on who ASU will send out.
Next up for Carolina will be Arizona State, which saw a 6-0 lead dissolve against Texas. Don't expect to find out anytime soon, but it will be interesting to see who the Sun Devils start on the mound in that game. Closer Mitchell Lambson, who was very effective on Sunday, also threw 3.1 innings against the Longhorns. ASU's normal third starter is Seth Blair, a sophomore righty, who threw six innings of four-hit baseball in the Sun Devils' 8-3 regional clincher against Oral Roberts. The Phoenix paper has a good look at Arizona State's pitching possibilities, and says Mike Leake and Josh Spence are unavailable and Lambson is "in question." Head coach Pat Murphy doesn't seem worried. "We'll piece it together and win the game Thursday, come back and beat Texas on Friday then play them on Saturday," he said. Matt Harvey, of course, will start for the Tar Heels.
UNC squares off with ASU on Thursday at 7 PM.