The program's first recorded game took place in 1867, when the Tar Heels defeated a
Raleigh all-star team, 34-17. Although baseball continued to be played at UNC, there exists a gap in record-keeping during Reconstruction, despite the noted existence of the UNC baseball team. The program's next recorded games were played in 1891. Thereafter, the University sponsored a varsity intercollegiate baseball program on a regular basis from that season onwards. In 1921, the University of North Carolina became a founding member of the
Southern Conference.
Bunny Hearn became head coach of the Tar Heel baseball program in 1932, serving in that capacity for the next 15 years. The Tar Heels would win six
Southern Conference baseball titles during the Hearn era, as well as two wartime Ration League titles in 1943 and 1945. In 1947, Hearn suffered a stroke and chose to relinquish his head coaching duties. Walter Rabb would thereafter take over as head coach of the Tar Heel baseball program, though Hearn remained as a coach at North Carolina for another ten years. During the
1948 season, the program qualified for its first
NCAA tournament, which had first been played in
1947. North Carolina's record in the
tournament was 1-2. North Carolina left the
Southern Conference in 1953, opting to become a founding member of the newly formed
Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tar Heels won their first ACC baseball title in 1960. The program's first
College World Series appearance also came in
1960. In 1964, the Tar Heels won their second ACC baseball title, posting an undefeated record in conference play. No other team in ACC baseball history has ever been undefeated in conference play. The Tar Heels would appear in the
College World Series three more times during the 20th century. In 1999, a
booster club named the Diamond Heels Club formed to support the program and fundraise for improvements to Boshamer Stadium. Since then, many refer to the team using the "Diamond Heels" nickname to distinguish it from other UNC athletic teams. The Tar Heels reached the
College World Series in four consecutive years between 2006 and 2009, and five times in six years between 2006 and 2011. They reached the national championship series in both
2006 and
2007, but lost on both occasions to the
Oregon State Beavers. The Tar Heels made a third straight trip to Omaha in
2008. While Boshamer Stadium was being renovated and rebuilt during the 2008 season, the Tar Heels played their home games at the
USA Baseball National Training Complex in nearby
Cary. The Tar Heels returned to
Chapel Hill in February 2009, following the completion of the extensive renovations to
Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels reached the
2009 College World Series, the program's fourth consecutive
College World Series appearance, following their first season playing in newly renovated Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels once again reached the
College World Series in
2011. The Tar Heels were the top overall seed in the
2013 NCAA baseball tournament, during which they reached the
2013 College World Series once again. In 2018, the Tar Heels reached the College World Series for the seventh time in thirteen seasons.
Head coaches ==Boshamer Stadium==