WRAL Sports Fan

North Carolina

BSB: Tar Heels No. 1 in Baseball America poll

Jan 24, 2013

Chapel Hill, N.C. — Baseball America released its annual preseason top 25 on Thursday and North Carolina will open as the publication's top team in 2013.

The top overall ranking by Baseball America is the first-ever for the Tar Heels.

Carolina leads four Atlantic Coast Conference teams in the initial rankings with NC State checking in at No. 8, Georgia Tech at No. 16 and Florida State at No. 20.

The Tar Heels return their entire weekend rotation from a year ago, a group that combined for 22 wins and all posted sub-2.00 ERAs in 2012.

Junior left-hander Kent Emnauel will anchor the rotation for the second straight year after winning eight games last year, while sophomore Benton Moss (7-2, 1.94 ERA) and junior Hobbs Johnson (7-1, 1-56 ERA) return as well.

Junior third baseman Colin Moran will lead the Tar Heel offense in 2013 after posting a team-high batting average of .365 last year.

Carolina opens the 2013 season on Friday, Feb. 15 against Seton Hall.