Despite getting all momentum on its side by scoring six straight runs to take a 6-3 lead, the No. 6 seed UNC baseball team fell apart over the final two innings against No. 3 seed Oregon State on Wednesday night at the College World Series in Omaha–with the Beavers rallying to win by a score of 11-6.
As a result, the Tar Heels are eliminated from the event while ending their outstanding season with a record of 44-20.
Adley Rutschman had three hits, homered and drove in four runs to lead the Oregon State (51-11-1) offensive effort. His three-run double in the eighth then erased UNC’s lead with one swing of the bat, as the Beavers would score four runs apiece in each of the final two innings to claim the win.
The game started off with Oregon State smashing a pair of solo shots–including one by Rutschman–against UNC starter Cooper Criswell in the top of the first inning with strong winds blowing towards the outfield at TD Ameritrade Stadium in Omaha.
An RBI double in the top of the third inning by Trevor Larnach then made it 3-0 in favor of the Beavers, who had their ace–Luke Heimlich–starting on the mound.
Heimlich found trouble, however, in the home half of the third inning. Ben Casparius, Datres and Michael Busch each reached base to start the inning, which set up a Cody Roberts sacrifice fly and a two-run double from Brandon Riley to clear the bases.
With the game tied 3-3 after Riley’s clutch hit, Oregon State made the decision to go to its bullpen early–just like UNC did by going to O’Brien in favor of Criswell in the top of the frame.
From there, the Tar Heels added another run in the fifth inning on an RBI single from Ike Freeman.
The sixth inning then saw Datres channel his inner Carlton Fisk, when he got hold of a pitch low in the zone and it carried all the way off the foul pole in left field as the Pennsylvania native hopped and gestured for it to stay fair.
Oregon State didn’t lie down easily, though, as the Beavers put together a furious rally in their half of the eighth inning–loading the bases with no outs as rain started to fall.
Senior reliever Brett Daniels came on for the Tar Heels to try and escape the jam, but surrendered a bases-clearing double to Rutschman that tied the game at 6-6.
It all went south from there as the Oregon State onslaught continued through the ninth inning, while UNC was unable to muster a comeback.
Photo via UNC Athletics
Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines