By R.L. Bynum
OMAHA, Neb. — Gavin Gallaher’s bat is working like a late-inning magic wand for North Carolina at the College World Series.
For the second consecutive game, he came up clutch with the game-winning hit as the No. 4 Tar Heels moved to 2–0 in Omaha for the first time in 20 years with a 5–2 victory Sunday over No. 9 West Virginia at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
Gallaher walked back into the tunnel next to the UNC dugout after fouling out in the fifth inning in a frustrating at-bat for his third out in as many times to the plate. He laughed when asked about the brief disappearance, then explained that it was simply a way to reset.
“You all aren’t supposed to know about that,” Gallaher said with a smile. “Sometimes you need a little reset. I think we all feel that way. So that’s pretty much all it was. I walked up the tunnel, ended up running into three of our coaches, smiled at them and turned around and walked back. Not much.”
In the middle of a packed and lively ballpark, UNC coach Scott Forbes soaked in the scene as much as the result.
“What an atmosphere,” Forbes said. “This is such a special place. I was just thinking about that the whole game. The seats were full. Beautiful night. Just so thankful for that.”
UNC (52–12–1) earned two off days and plays at 2:07 p.m. Wednesday against the winner of the 2:07 p.m. Tuesday elimination game between the Mountaineers (46–16) and Troy (39–31). The Tar Heels are a win away from the CWS finals, and Forbes did not hide how significant that 2–0 start felt for a program that had not won its first two games in Omaha since 2006. West Virginia or Troy will have to beat UNC twice to deny the Tar Heels a trip to the finals.
“It feels great,” Forbes said. “But obviously we want to prepare and play well on Wednesday. … I think I’ll sleep pretty good tonight after going 2–0, that’s for sure.”
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Walker McDuffie (9–3) was outstanding in 3⅔ three-hit shutout relief innings over 63 pitches, striking out four and giving up only two hits before Caden Glauber came in to get the last two outs for his fifth save.
With runners at first and second and the potential tying run at the plate, Glauber struck out Ben Lumsden on a 97-mph fastball and Tyrus Hall looking on another fastball. UNC is now 27–0 in games Glauber pitches.
“McDuffie, first time pitching in Omaha, he was pretty good,” Forbes said. “And, again, Caden Glauber coming in there and putting out that fire.”
For McDuffie, the moment carried extra meaning. Two years ago, he was in the stands as a UNC commit watching the Tar Heels beat West Virginia in the Super Regionals. Sunday night, he was on the mound helping beat the Mountaineers again on college baseball’s biggest stage.
“When you’re in the stands as a fan, and you’re committed here, all you think about is wanting that to be you and helping the team win,” McDuffie said. “I’m lucky enough and grateful enough for Coach Forbes to put me out there to make it happen.”
Once again, Gallaher gave UNC the lead for good, rocketing a two-run triple to right-center field after a fielding error by West Virginia second baseman Brodie Kessler. Owen Hull followed with an RBI single. In Friday’s 6–2 win over Ole Miss, Gallaher’s RBI single with two outs in the seventh inning scored the game-winner. Forbes, seated next to Gallaher in the postgame interview room, smiled when he described his infielder.
“Big swing at the bat by this guy beside me right here, Mr. Clutch,” Forbes said as he looked over at Gallaher.
Gallaher said the approach in those moments does not change, even with the season on the line and Omaha pressure rising around him.
“I just try to keep everything the same, stick with the routine and trust my preparation,” Gallaher said. “That’s what can really keep you grounded. It also helps having him down at third base. I just look down there, and he’s always got a smile on his face. It takes a little bit of weight off your shoulders. But just in there trying to have a good team at-bat.”
West Virginia starter Maxx Yehl had early control issues, and UNC took advantage to score two first-inning runs. After a pitch hit Macon Winslow to load the bases, Erik Paulsen drew a bases-loaded walk. Hull, who had one of two singles in the inning, scored on Cooper Nicholson’s groundout. Forbes said that second run mattered against a pitcher of Yehl’s quality because “he got on quick after that first inning.”
“We got two early, but he was on,” Forbes said of Yehl. “So, we were just battling.”
WVU got the leadoff runner on in three of the first four innings against UNC starter Ryan Lynch (4⅔ innings, 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts), and two scored. Armani Guzman hit a one-out RBI single in the third. In the fourth, Sean Smith drew a walk and scored on a double-play groundball to tie the game at 2.
Lynch also worked out of a first-and-third, no-out jam in the fourth inning by getting a double-play ball that limited the damage to one run, a sequence Forbes considered one of the game’s pivotal moments.
“That was a huge double play in my opinion,” Forbes said.
Lynch gave up a two-out single in the fifth inning, prompting Forbes to pull him in favor of McDuffie. Forbes said Lynch did exactly what UNC needed, grinding through a night when his slider was not at its sharpest to get the game to a rested bullpen.
“Your starter, anytime, the more length they give you, the better the chances, especially when you really like your bullpen, like we do,” Forbes said. “His slider wasn’t as on as it was the last two outings, but he still battled. Big pitchers or clutch pitchers make clutch pitches in big situations, and I told him that I thought that was the biggest pitch of the game.”
McDuffie, who had not pitched in a week and had scuffled in a couple of recent outings, said his job was to leave all of that behind before he ever stepped on the mound.
“You have to flush it,” McDuffie said. “Those last few outings, yeah, they weren’t great. But it’s not going to determine how I pitch in this next outing because I can’t carry that in there. Those outings right there, if anything, they prepare me for today because we take failure as a learning opportunity, and all it did was make me better.”
The decisive seventh inning began when Colin Hynek reached on second baseman Kessler’s error. Gallaher cashed it in, and Hull added an RBI single as UNC punished one of the few mistakes West Virginia made all night.
Gallaher said that is exactly what the Tar Heels believe winning baseball demands in Omaha.
“We preach defense and pitching here at UNC,” Gallaher said. “We know how important that is, especially when you’re playing in Omaha on the biggest stage. So, when other teams make those mistakes, it’s important that you capitalize because when you get to this point in the season, you’re not going to get many chances like that. Fortunately, they did make those mistakes and we capitalized.”
Catcher Hynek also made one of the game’s sharpest defensive plays earlier, throwing out Guzman trying to steal third in the third inning. Forbes called it “a huge play” and praised Hynek’s steadiness.
“Hynek has been outstanding,” Forbes said. “He has got some clutch in him and he knows how to make a big play offensively and defensively, and that was a huge play.”
The Tar Heels have now scored in each of their two CWS games by turning traffic on the bases into pressure, and Forbes said that is part of what allows his club to stay poised when the tension rises. He credits both daily preparation and a roster that has bought into making practice difficult enough that game situations feel familiar.
“We like to think that we try to make practice harder than the game,” Forbes said. “It’s that preparation thing. It gets rid of that little birdie doubting yourself, if you’ve done something really hard over and over and over. … And this group, credit to them, they’ve bought into it.”
That composure showed up again late, just as it did against Ole Miss. Gallaher said trust is at the center of it, trust in the work, trust in the coaches and trust in the teammates hitting around him.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to have these guys trust me enough to allow me to wear this,” Gallaher said. “It means a lot to me. It means a ton. These guys know that I have their back and whatever they need, and I’m lucky enough that they have mine. So, when you’re up there at the plate, it makes it easy on me. We know that everybody on this team is bought in and we can trust each other. So it makes it easy when you go up there, just try to do your job.”
Just as meaningful, Gallaher and McDuffie said, was looking up and seeing so much Carolina blue in the seats far from Chapel Hill. McDuffie called it the reason players come to UNC, and Gallaher took time to thank both the fans and families who made an expensive, cross-country trip to Omaha.
“This is why you come to UNC because you play in the biggest games and you have the best fans,” McDuffie said.
Added Gallaher: “They’re awesome at the Bosh. They show out weekend after weekend. Especially in the postseason, they’re awesome. And also families. This is a tough trip to make. It’s not cheap. And our families, they sacrifice a lot to get here and support us. So, we really appreciate that and thank them as well.”
Forbes echoed that sentiment after another night that pushed the Tar Heels one step closer to the program’s first national title.
“We use the word ‘love’ all the time as the backbone of our program,” he said. “Baseball has been such a blessing, and it brings so many people together.”
Now comes the challenge of waiting, resetting and trying to do it one more time on Wednesday with a trip to the best-of-three finals on the line.
“So, great win for us,” Forbes said. “We have to regroup quickly. We have to be process-oriented. We’ve got to move on and get ready to get back to work tomorrow to be ready to play well on Wednesday.”
Notes
— UNC’s 52 wins tie Georgia and UCLA for the most in the country this season.
— The game drew 24,414 fans.
— Eric Church, Luke Maye, Michael Malone and Eric Hoots were among the many UNC fans at the game.
— Guzman got thrown out in the third inning while trying to steal third by catcher Colin Hynek, only the fourth time he’s been caught in 82 attempts. He was initially called safe, but the call was overturned.
— Yehl wasn’t drafted last summer, but turned down significant money to return for a third season at West Virginia after missing the 2025 season recovering from Tommy John surgery.
— UNC will play at 2:07 p.m. Wednesday against the winner of Tuesday afternoon’s elimination game between Troy and West Virginia.
— Carolina is 2–0 in the College World Series for the first time since winning its first four games in 2006 before losing to Oregon State in the CWS finals. That was the only other time UNC won its first two CWS games.
— UNC is 4–1 against West Virginia, including a 2–1 and 8–6 sweep in the 2024 Chapel Hill Super Regional to advance to Omaha. West Virginia won 5–1 on March 19, 2014, and Carolina won 4–3 on March 4, 2000.
— Carolina is 132–86 all-time in the NCAA tournament, including 23–14 under Forbes.
— The Tar Heels are 7–8 at Charles Schab Field Omaha.
—UNC has allowed three runs or fewer in six of its eight NCAA tournament games. The Heels have allowed three or fewer runs 35 times, the second-most of any school behind Auburn (36).
No. 4 UNC 5, No. 9 West Virginia 2
College World Series
At Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Neb.
Pool play
All listed times are ET
June 12 results
West Virginia 7, Troy 5
North Carolina 6, Ole Miss 2
June 13 results
Oklahoma 9, Alabama 0
Georgia 7, Texas 1
June 14 results
Troy 12, Ole Miss 8; Ole Miss eliminated
North Carolina 5, West Virginia 2
June 15 results
Texas 14, Alabama 2; Alabama eliminated
Oklahoma 4, Georgia 3
Tuesday’s results
West Virginia 12, Troy 0; Troy eliminated
Georgia 2, Texas 0; Texas eliminated
Wednesday’s results
North Carolina 12, West Virginia 7; West Virginia eliminated
Oklahoma 11, Georgia 4; Georgia eliminated
CWS Finals
(Best-of-3 series)
North Carolina vs. Oklahoma
Game 1 Saturday: Oklahoma 9, North Carolina 3
Game 2 Sunday: North Carolina 6, Oklahoma 2
Game 3 Monday: Oklahoma 13, North Carolina 2; Sooners win national title
| Date(s) | Day/ month | Scores | Opponent (current rank) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February | ||||
| 13–14 | Fri., Sat. | W, 9–4; W, 12–2 (7); W, 4–3 (11) | vs. Indiana | 3–0 |
| 17 | Tuesday | W, 10–0 (7) | vs. Richmond | 4–0 |
| 18 | Wednesday | W, 5–3 | vs. Longwood | 5–0 |
| 20–22 | Fri.-Sun | W, 10–0 (8); L, 10–3; T, 3–3 | vs. East Carolina | 6–1–1 |
| 24 | Tuesday | W, 9–1 | vs. N.C. A&T | 7–1–1 |
| 25 | Wednesday | W, 13–3 (7) | vs. VCU | 8–1–1 |
| 27–28 | Fri., Sat. | W, 16–3 (7); W, 12–2 (7) | vs. Le Moyne | 10–1–1 |
| March | ||||
| 1 | Sunday | W, 21–1 (7) | vs. Le Moyne | 11–1–1 |
| 3 | Tuesday | W, 5–1 | vs. Elon | 12–1–1 |
| 6–7 | Fri., Sat | L, 13–3 (7); L, 9–2; W, 8–7 (12) | vs. Virginia | 13–3–1, 1–2 ACC |
| 10 | Tuesday | W, 13–3 (7) | vs. Bucknell | 14–3–1 |
| 13–15 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 8–1; W, 6–2; W, 10–2 | at California | 17–3–1, 4–2 |
| 18 | Wednesday | W, 8–2 | vs. UNCG | 18–3–1 |
| 20–22 | Fri.–Sun. | W, 11–1 (8); L, 2–0; W, 7–6 | vs. Louisville | 20–4–1, 6–3 |
| 24 | Tuesday | W, 9–1 | vs. South Carolina in Charlotte | 21–4–1 |
| 28, 29 | Sat., Sun | W, 6–5; W, 13–7; W, 15–10 | at Notre Dame | 24–4–1, 9–3 |
| 31 | Tuesday | W, 5–4 (14) | vs. Campbell | 25–4–1 |
| April | ||||
| 2–4 | Thur.-Sat. | L, 6–1; W, 5–2; W, 8–7 | vs. Boston College | 27–5–1, 11–4 |
| 7 | Tuesday | W, 8–4 | vs. Charlotte | 28–5–1 |
| 10–12 | Fri.–Sun. | L, 9–5; W, 6–4 (14); W, 12–5 | at Clemson | 30–6–1, 13–5 |
| 14 | Tuesday | W, 14–5 | vs. UNCW | 31–6–1 |
| 17–19 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 5–2; W, 14–4 (8); L, 5–2 | vs. No. 2 Georgia Tech | 33–7–1, 15–6 |
| 21 | Tuesday | W, 9–2 | vs. High Point | 34–7–1 |
| 23–25 | Thur.–Sat. | W, 3–1; L, 3–1; W, 22–5 (7) | at Duke | 36–8–1, 17–7 |
| 28 | Tuesday | L, 12–2 | vs. Coastal Carolina | 36–9–1 |
| May | ||||
| 3 | Sunday | W, 13–0 (7) (non-conference game) | vs. Duke | 37–9–1 |
| 8–10 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 4–1; W, 12–2 (8); W, 7–3 | vs. Pittsburgh | 40–9–1, 20–7 |
| 12 | Tuesday | W, 13–7 | at UNCW | 41–9–1 |
| 14–16 | Thur.-Sat. | W, 9–4; W, 17–7 (8); L, 7–2 | at N.C. State | 43–10–1, 22–8 |
| ACC tournament | Charlotte | |||
| 22 | Friday | W, 10–4 | Quarterfinal vs. Virginia Tech | 44–10–1 |
| 23 | Saturday | W, 13–5 | Semifinal vs. Pittsburgh | 45–10–1 |
| 24 | Sunday | L, 13–6 | Championship vs. No. 2 Ga. Tech | 45–11–1 |
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| Chapel Hill Regional | ||||
| 29 | Friday | W, 8–0 | VCU | 46–11–1 |
| 30–31 | Sat.–Sun. | W, 7–5; W, 9–3 | East Carolina | 48–11–1 |
| June | ||||
| Chapel Hill Super Regionals | ||||
| 5–7 | Fri.–Sun. | L, 9–5; W, 4–0; W, 4–3 | Southern Cal | 50–12–1 |
| College World Series | Omaha, Neb. | |||
| 12 | Friday | W, 6–2 | No. 18 Ole Miss | 51–12–1 |
| 14, 17 | Sun., Wed. | W, 5–2; W, 12–7 | No. 9 West Virginia | 53–12–1 |
| 20–22 | Sat.-Mon. | L, 9–3; W, 6–2; L, 13–2 | CWS Finals vs. Oklahoma | 54–14–1 |
Photos via @NCAABaseball
