North Carolina rebounded from an 9-3 Game 1 loss to beat Oklahoma 6-2 in Game 2 of the College World Series finals Sunday, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3 Monday night.
OMAHA, Neb. — Ryan Lynch and Caden Glauber took the heat off Oklahoma’s offense just long enough for North Carolina to turn a one-game deficit into a winner-take-all showdown.
The Tar Heels beat the Sooners 6-2 in Game 2 of the College World Series finals Sunday, after bouncing back from a 9-3 loss in Game 1 to force the decisive Game 3 Monday night.
North Carolina has been steady all tournament. Coming into Sunday, the team hadn’t lost consecutive games since early March, and it improved to 29-0 when he pitches.
Oklahoma struck early. The Sooners scored twice in the first inning. then managed only two hits and five total baserunners the rest of the way. Their bats cooled in a way that showed up in the numbers: the Sooners were held to their fewest runs since a May 19 loss to LSU. and they had not been held scoreless over eight straight innings since a 3-0 defeat to Southeastern Louisiana on March 17.
Lynch started for North Carolina but had to leave after injuring his lower left side while throwing a pitch in the fifth. Caden Glauber replaced him and kept Oklahoma from ever finding rhythm, striking out the side and finishing with eight strikeouts over five innings.
On the other side of the matchup, Oklahoma’s offense had been built on production—averaging 9.4 runs per game in the postseason and 8.25 in the CWS. In Game 2, it was limited to four hits, its fewest since a March 19 loss to LSU.
Freshman starter Xander Mercurius began the game strong, striking out six of the first seven batters he faced. But trouble arrived when North Carolina’s first two batters reached base in the third inning. Jake Schaffner drove a ball into the right-field corner for a two-run triple. then scored on a wild pitch to put the Tar Heels ahead 3-2.
Mercurius didn’t last long after that. He left after Hull’s second homer of the College World Series and ninth of the season led off the fifth.
Oklahoma tried to respond again, but North Carolina continued to knock the ball loose at key moments. Cooper Nicholson, already leading the team with 16 homers, hit a shot off Nate Smithburg in the seventh to make it 6-2.
By the ninth, Oklahoma still had a late threat cooking when Glauber walked consecutive batters with one out. The rally ended quickly. Dasan Harris grounded to second, and Gavin Gallaher turned an unassisted double play that was confirmed after Oklahoma challenged the call.
With Game 2 wrapped up, the finals reset to the simple question that now defines the week: who can win one more time?
College World Series North Carolina Tar Heels Oklahoma Sooners CWS finals Ryan Lynch Caden Glauber Owen Hull Cooper Nicholson Game 2
So Game 3 is winner-take-all right? Wild they just flip it like that.
I swear Oklahoma only scored in the first inning and then just died. Also that injury thing for Lynch like?? Did he get hurt or was it from the pitch like the article says?
North Carolina “forced” winner-take-all but didn’t they lose 9-3 first?? Like how is that forcing if they were already down. I’m confused lol. Also 8 strikeouts in 5 innings sounds good but not like insane? idk
Those Tar Heels pitching changes always mess with me. Like he left after injuring his lower left side… so was that the catcher or the pitcher? And the wild pitch, then Schaffner triple in the third, that’s when it felt over. Also Oklahoma averaging 9.4 runs in the postseason and then only 2 hits?? karma I guess.