By R.L. Bynum
OMAHA, Neb. — Offense could be at a premium in Game 1 of the CWS Finals on Saturday with two of the hottest pitchers in the country trying to follow up on dominant performances last weekend.
The 8:07 p.m. Saturday game will likely match UNC junior right-hander Jason DeCaro (11–2, 2.31 ERA) against Oklahoma freshman left-hander Cord Rager (6–3, 4.69 ERA), a battle that pits North Carolina’s established ace against one of the postseason’s fastest-rising arms. The coaches will likely announce their starters on Friday.
UNC coach Scott Forbes handed DeCaro the ball in the 6–2 Friday victory over Ole Miss in the Tar Heels’ College World Series opener.
He struck out nine while giving up five hits, two runs and three walks in 6⅔ innings. After that outing, Forbes said the plan unfolded just the way Carolina envisioned in Omaha, with freshman Caden Glauber pitching 2⅓ three-hit shutout innings of relief to finish the game.
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“In a perfect world, we’re going DeCaro and Globe, and it worked out for us,” Forbes said. “You have to do special things to win and get this far already. But you have to do even more special things to win out here.”
The two days off between games are important to give Forbes a chance to replicate that plan, since Glauber threw 45 pitches over 2⅓ innings in Wednesday’s 12–7 victory over West Virginia.
Sophomore Walker McDuffie should be good for a long relief outing, though. He hasn’t appeared in a game since throwing 63 pitches over 3⅔ innings in Sunday’s 5–2 win over West Virginia.
Forbes started sophomore right-hander Ryan Lynch in the openers of the Chapel Hill Regional and the Chapel Hill Super Regional. But DeCaro started the CWS opener after he tossed a two-hit shutout with nine strikeouts in UNC’s 4–0 win over USC in the Supers.
“Your starter, anytime, the more length they give you, the better the chances, especially when you really like your bullpen,” Forbes said. “And that’s what you have to have to win championships.”
Lynch figures to start Game 2, which is at 2:37 p.m. Sunday. He started Sunday’s victory over West Virginia, giving up five hits, two runs and two walks with two strikeouts in 4⅔ innings, keeping UNC’s rotation lined up behind its ace.
In Oklahoma’s 9–0 victory over Alabama in its opener, Rager (top photo) was dominant in seven three-hit shutout innings, walking none and striking out eight, a performance that established him as a likely Game 1 option.
“I thought Cord was outstanding,” Oklahoma coach Skip Johnson said. “Freshmen don’t get to pitch in [Omaha] very often, and we’re really proud to have three or four of them that are really good.”
Johnson has emphasized that the Sooners’ surge has been rooted as much in mindset as stuff, something he has seen consistently from his young pitchers.
“He just has a great mindset. He attacks,” Johnson said of Rager. “Our team really believes in him. We really believe in him. He’s a guy that just likes to pitch.”
Rager’s season numbers aren’t impressive, but his postseason line is much sharper at a 2.25 ERA with 14 strikeouts and one walk in two NCAA tournament starts, underscoring how much he has elevated his performance in June.
It’s certain that Johnson will start a freshman in the first two games. If he doesn’t go in Game 1, the Game 2 starter will likely be freshman right-hander Xander Mercurius, who struck out nine in 7⅓ innings of the Sooners’ 4–3 win Monday over No. 3 Georgia, giving up six hits and three runs in 104 pitches.
Rager, Mercurius and another freshman, right-hander Nick Wesloski, have delivered poised outings against elite competition while thriving in high-pressure environments. In Oklahoma’s 11–4 Wednesday win over Georgia, Wesloski gave up four hits, one earned run, two walks and struck out four in 5⅔ innings.
College World Series
At Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Neb.
Bracket 1
No. 5-seed and No. 4-ranked North Carolina (52–12–1), No. 16-seed and No. 9-ranked West Virginia (47–16; eliminated), Troy (39–32; eliminated) and No. 23-ranked Ole Miss (41–23; eliminated)
Bracket 2
Oklahoma (42–22), No. 3-seed and No. 3-ranked Georgia (53–14; eliminated), Oklahoma (41–22) and No. 7-seed, No. 6-seed and No. 6-ranked Texas (46–15; eliminated), No. 6-seed and No. 6-ranked Texas (46–16; eliminated) and No. 16-ranked Alabama (42–21; eliminated)
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 (UNC home team): Saturday, 8:07 p.m., ESPN
Game 2 (Oklahoma home team): Sunday, 2:37 p.m., ABC
Game 3 (UNC home team): Monday, if needed, 7:07 p.m., ESPN
Times in brackets are Central Time, with games starting 7 minutes after the listed times.
| Date(s) | Day/ month | Times/ scores | Opponent (current rank) | Record/ TV * |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 8:07, 2:37, 7:07 (if needed) | CWS Finals vs. Oklahoma | ESPN, ABC, ESPN |
Photo via @NCAABaseball
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