COLLEGE BASEBALL: Pate, McGee help lead Tar Heels into NCAA Tournament

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on June 2, 2017 7:08 AM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

CHAPEL HILL -- Adam Pate made a bold promise.

A baby-faced freshman, Ashton McGee, backed up his teammate's pledge.

And North Carolina is back where it belongs -- in the NCAA baseball tournament.

Seeded No. 2 overall, the Tar Heels (47-12 overall) open the Chapel Hill Regional today against in-state member Davidson at 6 p.m. inside Boshamer Stadium. Michigan (42-15) faces first-time tournament participant Florida Gulf Coast (42-18) in the early game.

The survivor meets the Houston Regional winner in the next round.

During their preseason banquet, Pate stood up and said the current group of players hadn't lived up to the standard of Tar Heel baseball. He vowed that wouldn't happen again this spring.

"There is a group of veterans that have been around for the past few years when we've come up short from making the tournament," Pate said. "The standard of success that Carolina has had in the past, we've been letting that motivate us to get the program back to where it was."

This is Pate's last ride.

The senior has experienced a sentimental campaign beset by an injury that's turned him into the dugout captain. He's appeared in 35 games (18 starts) and produced eight hits to go along with seven RBI.

Pate has played defense akin to the smoothness of a used car salesman. The sure-gloved dirt dobber has delivered 20 putouts in 20 attempts.

His previous two years?

A distant memory now.

"It's been awesome being the leader in the locker room and helping guys from my experiences earlier in my career," said Pate, the lone Tar Heel left on the roster who has savored the taste of the NCAA Tournament.

"It's bittersweet because this is my last run for a national championship, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I'm enjoying every minute of it."

McGee is living a childhood dream.

He stepped onto campus and started class in mid-January. Five weeks later, he donned that trademark white Carolina uniform with powder-blue numbers and lettering for the first time.

His first at-bat?

Strikeout against Gardner-Webb.

His second at-bat?

Double down the left-field line on the first pitch.

Since then, McGee has settled into the designated hitter and occasional second baseman role.

"It's been my dream to play in a regional/super regional at UNC after always watching them on TV when I was younger," said McGee, who is hitting .340 with seven home runs and 44 RBI in 54 games.

"To think I'll be playing (today) is crazy. I just want to take it all in and enjoy it because you never know what will happen."

North Carolina is making its 30th NCAA Tournament appearance and is 60-33 in NCAA play with Fox in the dugout. The Heels are 89-22 all-time against Davidson and 6-7 against Michigan, including a three-game sweep against the Wolverines at Boshamer in 2010.

UNC lost to Florida State in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament final five days ago.

"Just flush it," McGee said. "There are more important games ahead that we need to be ready for and not dwelling over that loss. I think we got a good draw with the teams in our regional, but at the end of the day everybody is good so you have to be ready to play your best every game."

So, depend on your leader.

And a even-keeled kid nicknamed "Mashton."