No. 6 national seed North Carolina learned Monday it will host East Carolina, St. John’s and Cornell in the 2012 NCAA Chapel Hill Regional when the 64-team tournament field was announced on ESPNU.

The Tar Heels (44-14) will meet the No. 4 seed Cornell Big Red (31-15-1), the Ivy League champions, at 6 p.m. Friday at Boshamer Stadium. The tournament opener will take place at 1 p.m. with No. 2 seed East Carolina (35-22-1) meeting No. 3 seed St. John’s (37-21).

The Chapel Hill Regional champion will advance to face the winner of the Arizona Regional in the Super Regional round for the right to advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

A top-eight national seed for the fifth time in the last six seasons, Carolina is making its 27th NCAA appearance. The Tar Heels are 50-25 in NCAA play under Mike Fox and are 15-0 at home in regional play since 2006.

Carolina is 13-6 all-time against Cornell, but have not met on the diamond since 1969.

The Tar Heels are 49-25 against East Carolina, including a 1-0 extra inning win on April 25. Carolina is 6-1 all-time against the Pirates in postseason play. After an 8-4 win over St. John’s on Feb. 28 the Tar Heels are 8-5 all-time against the Red Storm. UNC claimed the only postseason meeting between the teams with a 9-5 win in the College World Series in 1978, a team that featured UNC head coach Mike Fox.

2012 NCAA Chapel Hill Regional Schedule
Friday, June 1
Game 1: #2 East Carolina (35-22-1) vs. #3 St. John’s (37-21), 1 p.m.
Game 2: #1 North Carolina (44-14) vs. #4 Cornell (31-15-1), 6 p.m.
Saturday, June 2
Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 1 p.m.
Game 4: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 6 p.m.
Sunday, June 3
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 1 p.m.
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 6 p.m.
Monday, June 4
Game 7: 6 p.m. – If necessary