“I don’t think we could be set up better – the opening opponent, pitching, our group of guys,” Bolt said. “It’s about the right time for us to go off and play our best baseball.”
That opening opponent is rival N.C. State, which made the World Series for the first time since 1968. The two teams, who played an epic 18-inning battle in the ACC tournament which the Heels won, face each other Sunday at 3 p.m. in Omaha.
“I don’t think we really needed to travel 2000 plus miles to play ‘em,” Bolt said with a laugh. “I think it couldn’t have been scripted better to open up our trip out there. It’s something we are all excited about and I know they are excited about and I’m sure the fans out there are excited about it.”
Bolt, who is batting .330 despite missing 17 games earlier in the season due to a broken right foot, drove in the winning run in the ninth inning of the first game of the Super Regional a week ago.
Despite six of the Tar Heels’ 10 losses coming in the last month of the season, including two regional losses that put Carolina on the brink on elimination, Bolt says the Tar Heels (57-10) begin play in Omaha with the feeling that they can’t be beat.
“Every team has its highs and lows,” he said. “The baseball we played at the beginning of the year was beyond exceptional. It’s very hard to play baseball like that for four or five games much less 30-some games. We were really fortunate.”
Bolt said he believes the Tar Heels will get back to that early and mid-season form by playing good, solid defense, getting good pitching and getting the bats going a little better. “We going to continue to play our game of defense and pitching but if the bats peak like we’re hoping then it’s no question we’re going to be rolling through Omaha,” he said.
“Our seniors wanted to go back one more time and give it another shot,” he said. “The mood right now is ‘let’s win the school’s first championship.’ You get that vibe from everybody in the locker room.”