A flying start became an agonizing end for Alex White last year.

While his North Carolina Tar Heels surged all the way to the College World Series finale against Oregon State, the freshman pitcher from D.H. Conley struggled to find the form with which he began the season.

A year later and a year stronger, the sophomore version of White marches into this weekend's Super Regional against Coastal Carolina with bubbling confidence and a 9-3 record. The Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year is no longer shaking off the slider signal from his catcher, and White hopes he's done shaking off questions about his 6-7 finish to last season, which still earned White second team All-America honors from rivals.com.

"It's definitely different," White said of his sophomore season, which for the Tar Heels appears headed in the same direction as last year's CWS run. "I learned a lot last year and I think everyone knows how bad I struggled in the playoffs. It's not exactly a secret to anyone. I wouldn't say it was nerve-racking. It's just a lot of fun to pitch in big games when everything is on the line."

White has yet to pitch this season with his team's back to the wall, but he knows now that time is likely looming before the Tar Heels are done.

Last Saturday, White spent much of the day in cruise control in a victory over UNC Wilmington on the second day of the NCAA Cary Regional. He stifled the Seahawks to three hits in a complete-game 5-1 victory.

Referring to the day as simply fun, White said last year's wild ride has left him ready for anything, and that includes today's start against Coastal.

"The experience has probably been the biggest change from last year," White said. "It's helped me an enormous amount, just knowing what to expect in certain situations. Every team is going to play their best. They don't care who you are. Coastal is good and they beat us pretty good up here. It was obvious that they're a pretty good team, but so are we."

White's Tar Heels swept through the Cary Regional, knocking off Mount St. Mary's last Friday before taking down Wilmington twice to assure themselves another hosting job this weekend.

White has trimmed his earned run average down to 2.66 from last year's 4.94. His 95 strikeouts were a team high and fourth among all ACC arms this season.

Part of the turnaround has been strength. White said he spent the season trying to maintain all of the physical gains he made during the offseason.

The other difference has been White's expanded arsenal. His slider has improved, and his split-fingered fastball has proven a dangerous addition.

"I was mostly fastball-slider at best, and my slider was usually pretty bad," White said of his freshman season. "This year, I feel like I have a lot better secondary pitches with my split and my slider. I threw (the splitter) off and on through high school, but last year I could never get it together. That was my biggest concentration in the offseason, working almost solely on getting my splitter."

Nathan Summers can be reached at nsummers@coxnc.com, or at (252)329-9595.