Chapelboro.com’s coverage of Carolina baseball in the Men’s College World Series is proudly presented by High & Rubish Insurance Agency.
It was quiet inside the tunnels of Charles Schwab Field following UNC’s season-ending defeat to Oklahoma in the College World Series finals. Players trudged back from the dugout to the clubhouse in silence. The only noise came from the ripping of velcro, as stadium employees were already hard at work removing team banners from the tunnel walls.
The harsh tearing sound was an apt summation of Carolina’s night, a 13-2 loss to the Sooners which felt like it had been over for hours. Head coach Scott Forbes came to the press conference with red eyes, joined by team captains Gavin Gallaher and Matthew Matthijs. Forbes and the players had taken their time making their way to the dais, trying to savor every last moment of a 2026 season which had gotten the program to within one win of its first national title.
“This group loved each other all season,” Forbes said. “They took us on a ride that was unbelievable. We came up a little bit short, but I would take that ride again every day of the year. While we’re sad, the sadness will go away. We also talk about joy; joy doesn’t go away. And these guys have given me, our coaching staff, our fans, our administration, everybody, a ton of joy and a ton to be proud of.”
Monday’s loss could very well have been the final collegiate game for Gavin Gallaher, who is eligible to enter the Major League Baseball draft later this summer. Gallaher was a freshman starter on the UNC team which made it to Omaha two years ago, but failed to record a hit in any of Carolina’s three games there. This year, he did more than just bang out some hits: he was named to the All-College World Series team at second base.
But that accolade, and the Gold Glove award he won earlier this month, couldn’t take away the pain Gallaher felt after the loss.
“This is probably the most hurt I’ve ever felt in my life,” said Gallaher. “And not just because we’re one game away from doing something that no UNC baseball team has ever done. But more so just because this is the end of the season. We say it all the time from the very beginning: this team will never be this team again. And I’ve been here for three teams, and this is the best team I’ve ever played with.”
Gallaher’s career has seen him play out of position for a majority of his games, but that’s still relatively straightforward compared to his teammate and co-captain Matthijs. “Matty,” as his team calls him, earned All-America honors as a sophomore and won an ACC-best 12 games on the mound in 2024. He was set up to be an important piece of the Carolina bullpen the next year, but a midseason injury ended his year after only 17 games. Matthijs was never able to reestablish the presence he had in the bullpen this season, but will still be able to say he pitched in the national championship series.
Matthijs, on the verge of tears himself, was still able to express gratitude to his head coach.
“He cares about us. He loves us,” said Matthijs. “There’s no other coaching staff that I would want to play for and spend my four years. I just want to say thank you for giving me an opportunity when I was 14 years old. I’ve loved every minute. Thank you.”
Forbes refused to take any credit, instead thanking his players in his final postgame talk. There was nothing he could say which could take away the hurt Gallaher, Matthijs and others felt, but Forbes hopes the love he constantly infuses into the program helps just a little.
For now, though, it really hurts. Forbes, a former player, knows that feeling all too well.
“I made my last out in the Division 3 World Series. I know what that pain feels like,” Forbes said. “The pain’s the pain. And I just wanted them to know how grateful I am for what they’ve taken us all on. It’s been an amazing ride, from being down to Southern Cal to playing to the very last day of the college baseball season. And that’s pretty cool.”
Click to find more Carolina baseball coverage from Chapelboro.com, onsite in Omaha! Proudly presented by High & Rubish Insurance Agency.
Featured image via Associated Press/Rebecca S. Gratz
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
