Can UNCW baseball keep its regular season success rolling into the postseason?
It's been an intense month of baseball for UNCW.
Winning 11 of 16 games in April, the Seahawks (28-16, 14-4 CAA) have entered the final stretch of the regular season riding a wave of success that's been boiling over for quite some time.
After claiming their first CAA tournament title since 2019 last spring, the Seahawks would like nothing more than to repeat and get another chance at the NCAA tournament. But before any of that can happen, coach Randy Hood knows his squad needs to stay focused.
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"As we've been playing well, we just can't be satisfied," Hood said. "We can't overlook anybody and we obviously don't want to hear all the noise outside."
Spearheaded by the outstanding play of sophomore infielder Tanner Thatch, who recently tied the all-time UNCW home run record (21), the Seahawks have earned wins over Coastal Carolina, Wake Forest, NC State, William & Mary and Northeastern in April.
Now in the mid-50s in the NCAA's Division I college baseball RPI rankings, UNCW wants to close out the regular season without losing too much steam.
"It's a grind and marathon," Hood said of the college baseball season. "I think we do a great job physically of maintaining our bodies and our strength, but you just have to know as a coach when to back off and give (The players) some time off."
For the first time since 2021, UNCW will host the CAA baseball tournament at Brooks Field in late May, just after the school hosts the CAA softball tournament.
UNCW plays seven of its final 11 regular season games at home, including a rematch with nationally ranked North Carolina. The Tar Heels dominated the Seahawks in an 11-0 route on March 19.
The Seahawks claimed the CAA tournament title in thrilling fashion last spring, defeating Northeastern 5-4. A week later, their season was over after consecutive losses in the opening rounds of the NCAA tournament.
That moment wasn't easy for veteran players like Jac Croom and Trevor Marsh, who described the experience as eye-opening.
"It was tough because I think we had more in there," Marsh said of last season's conclusion. "We kind of got complacent a little bit and didn't realize anything can happen, it's baseball."
Making seven regional round appearances since 2010, the Seahawks have never reached a super regional. While the team's recent success is a combination of experience and consistency, Hood and the company know what the expectations are for this postseason.
"We've got four weeks left. A lot can happen in four weeks. We don't get ahead of ourselves," Hood said. "This is the time that if you really want to be good, you have to play well."
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: With big expectations, can UNCW baseball reach a super regional?
