UNC Baseball Fall Short vs. Oklahoma in Game 3 of National Championship Series

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Oklahoma took the lead early and steadily pulled away from the Diamond Heels in Game 3 of the national championship series Monday night in Omaha, ultimately beating UNC 13-2 to win the title. It was UNC’s largest loss of the season.

“Obviously, that’s a tough loss,” head coach Scott Forbes said afterward. “But first of all, I want to congratulate Oklahoma. Heck of a ball team. They deserved it. They played well tonight. They earned it.”

Carolina starting pitcher Jackson Rose held the Sooners off the board in the first inning, but steady traffic on the basepaths saw Oklahoma score runs in every inning from the second to the sixth. UNC cycled through three different pitchers in a messy fourth inning, one which saw the Sooners score three runs and draw five walks.

“The only other person we talked about starting was Jason DeCaro,” Forbes said. “But he’s gonna be a major leaguer. He’s got a whole career. He had one day [of rest]… I just felt like Jackson Rose deserved it. You look at it, he walked three, he punched out five. I’d do it again.”

Rose lasted only 2.2 innings in his first start since May 12, and the trio of Walker McDuffie, Caden Glauber and Matthew Matthijs combined to record only five outs. Glauber faced only two hitters, allowing a walk and a hit. Monday’s game was the first UNC lost this season in which Glauber pitched; UNC had been 29-0 in his previous outings. On the other side, Oklahoma’s L.J. Mercurius provided key innings of relief after starter Nick Wesloski lasted only 2.1 innings. Mercurius threw 5.2 innings out of the bullpen and only allowed one run. Carolina did not record an extra-base hit all night.

While Oklahoma used three total pitchers, UNC used eight. Those eight pitchers combined to issue eight walks, allow 14 hits and throw two wild pitches.

“Oklahoma made us pay,” Forbes said. “We walked too many, but none of these guys were trying to walk anybody… they gave it all they had. We just ran out of gas when it’s all said and done.”

The Diamond Heels end the season with a 54-14-1 record – their most wins in a season since 2013 – and are still seeking their first national championship. Oklahoma’s title is its third overall and first since 1994.

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Featured image via Associated Press/Rebecca S. Gratz

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UNC Baseball Fall Short vs. Oklahoma in Game 3 of National Championship Series

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