CHAPEL HILL -- North Carolina moves on to another College World Series.

The Tar Heels rode the strong arm of freshman lefthander Kent Emanuel and their stout bats to a gritty 7-5 victory over Stanford on Saturday, rallying from a one-run deficit with a three-run effort in the top of the fourth inning.

Once on top, the Heels opened a 6-1 lead in the seventh inning, then survived a four-run inning by the Cardinal in the top of the eighth. The Heels overcame a three-hour, 32-minute rain delay and held on for their 16th consecutive post-season home victory in the NCAA's best-of-three Super Regional series before an announced crowd of 3,749 at Boshamer Stadium.

Now it’s off to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., on June 18-29. The Heels (50-14) will make their fifth appearance since 2006.

updated 9:48 p.m.

CHAPEL HILL -- Before North Carolina’s regional opener against Maine on Friday night, head coach Mike Fox -- who was not at Boshamer Stadium because of a personal matter dealing with a family member – sent associate head coach Scott Forbes an email that said, in part, “go with your gut.”

So Forbes – serving in a head coaching role for an entire game for the first time in college – stayed with starting left-hander Kent Emanuel for eight shutout innings, pulled him after 120 pitches, and helped his team to a 4-0 victory over Maine in the double-elimination regional.

Staff photo by Robert Willett

CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina celebrated like a team on its way to its first College World Series, not its fourth straight.

The Tar Heels slung their hats and gloves skyward and jumped into a celebratory dogpile after Sunday's 9-3 win over East Carolina in the Super Regional sent them back to Omaha and the CWS for the fourth straight year.

The Tar Heels defeat Coastal Carolina 14-5 at Boshamer Stadium on Saturday, May 30, 2009.

UNC tops Dartmouth 5-2 in the first round of the NCAA baseball playoffs at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill on Friday, May 29, 2009.

UNC practices at Boshamer Stadium as they prepare to start the NCAA baseball playoffs.

Coastal Carolina prepares for the first round of the NCAA baseball playoffs with a practice at UNC's Boshamer satdium on Thursday, May 28, 2009.

North Carolina's baseball team certainly knows how to make a stadium dedication special.

On the day when the Tar Heels officially dedicated newly renovated Boshamer Stadium, Mark Fleury delivered a pair of clutch hits to lift the No. 5 Tar Heels to a 5-4 victory in 10 innings over seventh-ranked Miami on Saturday afternoon.

UNC is trying to get back on track after falling to High Point earlier in the week and dropping two of three to Florida State last weekend.

The Heels (28-10, 10-7 in the ACC) have won the last three series against the Hurricanes.

CHAPEL HILL — Duke almost let it slip away.

After all, the Blue Devils led 7-0 at the end of the second inning and 9-1 after five innings.

The Tar Heels, even in defeat, proved that no lead is safe against them.