Carolina releases 2008 baseball schedule

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Two-time College World Series runner-up North Carolina announced its 2008 schedule Thursday, and it is highlighted by 32 home games at the USA Baseball National Training Complex Stadium in Cary, N.C. The Tar Heels, who won an NCAA-best and school-record 57 games a year ago, are playing off campus while Boshamer Stadium is being renovated in time for the 2009 season.

"It will be a challenge for our club to play away from Boshamer Stadium all season, but we are looking forward to playing in Cary," said head coach Mike Fox, who is entering his 10th season at his alma mater. "The people with USA Baseball have been great to work with, and we anticipate playing in front of some great crowds at their wonderful facility."

As usual, Carolina will face a challenging slate, which includes 21 games against 11 teams that played in the 2007 NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels will also play 39 of their 56 regular season games versus teams that finished above .500 a year ago.

UNC will play league series with 2007 NCAA Tournament teams NC State, Clemson, Florida State, Virginia and Miami, and scheduled non-conference opponents Kent State, St. John's, Coastal Carolina, VCU and Charlotte also reached the postseason a year ago.

After opening the season with at three-game series at Florida Atlantic Feb. 22-24, UNC will play its first game in Cary against Old Dominion Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 3 p.m. The Tar Heels are playing their first three weekends on the road - at FAU, at Winthrop's tournament (Feb. 28-March 2) and at Duke (March 7-9) - and will play 10 of their first 12 games away from home. UNC's first Atlantic Coast Conference series in Cary is against Virginia Tech March 14-16.

Carolina also hosts NC State (March 28-30), Georgia Tech (April 4-6), Boston College (April 18-20) and Florida State (April 25-27) in league play. In addition to opener at Duke, road ACC series for the Tar Heels include Maryland (March 21-23), Clemson (April 11-13), Virginia (May 9-11) and Miami (May 15-17).

Carolina will play Clemson in the regular season for the first time since 2005, and Wake Forest comes off the regular season slate for the first time since 1945 due to the ACC's 30-game schedule.

In addition to six league games with NC State and Duke, Carolina will play 10 midweek games against in-state opponents Davidson, Gardner-Webb, UNC Greensboro, Appalachian State, Elon, North Carolina A&T, Charlotte and High Point. The Tar Heels have home-and-home series scheduled with the Spartans and 49ers.

The 2007 ACC Tournament will played at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville for the fourth straight season May 21-21. NCAA Regionals are scheduled for May 30-June with the Super Regionals slated for June 6-9. The College World Series will be held June 14-25 at Omaha's Rosenblatt Stadium.