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Owen Hull’s walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth helped the Diamond Heels overcome a 3-2 deficit entering the inning and win 4-3, punching a thrilling ticket to the Men’s College World Series in Omaha next weekend.
“I’ve been part of a lot of great games,” head coach Scott Forbes said afterward. “That’s one of the most special games I’ve been a part of at Boshamer Stadium.”
Hull’s hit capped a stellar day, in which the center fielder clubbed four doubles including his late walk-off. Hull also drove in UNC’s only run of the first seven innings, as the Carolina offense struggled mightily against Trojan starter Andrew Johnson. Johnson had limited UNC to just two earned runs on 99 pitches in 7.2 innings. Combined with his scoreless relief outing Friday, Johnson threw 133 pitches across the weekend.
“It’s a fighter’s attitude,” USC head coach Andy Stankiewicz said of his pitcher. “He can’t tell you he feels great, because he’s pitched a lot. But it didn’t matter to him.”
Johnson’s gem had set the Trojans up with a 3-1 lead entering the eighth inning, with the only blemish to that point being an RBI double from Hull in the third inning which tied the game at 1-1. Solo home runs from USC’s Kevin Takeuchi in the fourth and Andrew Lamb in the fifth quickly restored the Trojan advantage. UNC finally scratched across another run in the eighth thanks to a double from Macon Winslow, knocking Johnson out of the game.
Carolina continued to threaten in the inning, but Trojan closer Adam Troy struck out Colin Hynek with men on second and third to end the frame. The game went to the ninth with USC ahead 3-2.
In the ninth, Tyler Howe grounded out on Troy’s first pitch of the inning, bringing Carolina within two outs of elimination. Cooper Nicholson drew a hard-earned walk and Carter French – who entered in the eighth as a defensive replacement and was taking his first at bat of the game – singled to move Nicholson over to third base. Jake Schaffner drove Nicholson home on a sacrifice fly to tie the game.
After Gavin Gallaher walked to move French to second base, Hull stepped to the plate. It appeared the inning might be over after Hull popped a foul ball along the third base line, but the Trojan defense could not make the catch.
On the next pitch, Hull launched a ball into the left-center field gap. Takeuchi appeared to misjudge the ball and slid in a last-ditch effort to catch it, but the ball fell in to end the game.
“I have no words to describe it,” Hull said. “I’m out here having as much fun as I can… I love this team so much.”
Caden Glauber started the game on the mound for UNC and struck out a career-best 11 Trojan hitters in 7.1 innings, but was on the hook for the loss when he exited in the eighth. Glauber allowed the first USC run to score on a balk with men on second and third in the first inning. That balk stood as the difference in the game until UNC’s comeback in the ninth.
“[I was] obviously a little nervous coming into it, but good nerves. You always want good nerves,” Glauber said of earning the start. “I was super excited… there’s no other team I want to pitch for. This team has your back.”
This is now the third time this season UNC has won a weekend series after dropping the opening game.
Sunday’s win clinches UNC’s 13th trip to the College World Series, ninth since 2006 and second in the last three seasons. Carolina has also now won 50 games in a single season for the first time since 2013, and won a Super Regional after dropping Game 1 for the first time ever.
The Diamond Heels will face Ole Miss in Omaha next Friday, with a time to be determined later.
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Featured image via Chapel Hill Media Group/Chance Bragg
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