North Carolina wound up playing Gainesville Regional host Florida Saturday afternoon in the second game of this year's NCAA Tournament, but it wasn't the way neither the Tar Heels nor the Gators originally intended.
Both schools, perennial powerhouses in their respective conferences who have made ten College World Series over the past decade between them, both lost in Friday's opening round of games---UNC falling 6-1 to Long Beach State, and Florida dropping a 3-2 decision Friday evening on its home field to College of Charleston.
So it was that UNC and UF met Saturday afternoon in an elimination game, with the Tar Heels playing as the home team despite Florida being higher seeded and at home.
After giving up six runs in the fourth inning in Friday's loss to Long Beach State, the Tar Heels broke out for five runs in the third inning Saturday against the Gators, pulling away for a 5-2 victory in a game that was delayed three hours by an extended rainfall.
Diamond Heels live to fight another day
Both schools, perennial powerhouses in their respective conferences who have made ten College World Series over the past decade between them, both lost in Friday's opening round of games---UNC falling 6-1 to Long Beach State, and Florida dropping a 3-2 decision Friday evening on its home field to College of Charleston.
So it was that UNC and UF met Saturday afternoon in an elimination game, with the Tar Heels playing as the home team despite Florida being higher seeded and at home.
After giving up six runs in the fourth inning in Friday's loss to Long Beach State, the Tar Heels broke out for five runs in the third inning Saturday against the Gators, pulling away for a 5-2 victory in a game that was delayed three hours by an extended rainfall.
Diamond Heels live to fight another day
