By R.L. Bynum
OMAHA, Neb. — The pitching and defense that have carried No. 4 North Carolina all season failed the Tar Heels during key moments on the biggest stage, and the offense faded after the first inning.
That last pitch to get out of an inning couldn’t come often enough, as Oklahoma plated five two-out runs in a 9–3 victory Saturday at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Game 1 of the College World Series Finals.
“Congrats to Oklahoma. They played really well, I thought, in all phases,” UNC coach Scott Forbes said. “That’s why they came out on top.”
The Sooners repeatedly punished UNC mistakes. Forbes said that is what made the Sooners, who have won nine straight games and improved to 42–22, so dangerous.
“When a team is feeling that good, you can’t make many mistakes, because they’re going to make you pay for it,” Forbes said. “They made us pay for those mistakes, and they got big hits in big situations, and that’s how you win games. That’s how they’re here.”
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There were run-saving catches, such as right fielder Carter French’s snag at the wall in the third inning and center fielder Owen Hull’s diving catch in the fifth inning.
“That was a heck of a play by Carter French,” Forbes said.
But there was also a miscommunication on a Dasan Harris second-inning pop-up, leading second baseman Gavin Gallaher and shortstop Jake Schaffner to collide, although UNC starter Jason DeCaro pitched around it. Forbes said there were no nerves involved on the dropped ball in the outfield.
“I feel like that was old Bermuda Triangle right there,” Forbes said. “The ball just dropped. Everybody is going as hard as they can at it. I think three people called it at the same time. I’m just very thankful that everybody got up from it because it was a pretty good collision, knocked the breath out of Jake. It was definitely not nerves with our guys. They were getting after it.”
Oklahoma made enough solid contact against DeCaro, notably with Deiten LaChance’s two home runs.
Carolina (53–13–1) will try to even the series in Game 2 at 2:39 p.m. Sunday (ABC) in only its second elimination game of the tournament, with sophomore right-hander Ryan Lynch starting. The Tar Heels gave up the most runs since their 9–5 loss to USC in Game 1 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional that forced that first elimination game, but Forbes framed the challenge in familiar terms.
“It’s a weekend series,” Forbes said. “I just talked to them, I said you’ve got to forget this one just like we forget all of them, wins or losses. That’s being process-oriented and don’t let outcomes be distractions. Unfortunately, we lost Game 1, and that’s a stinker. But again, you’ve got to win two.”
The first four UNC hitters reached in the first inning against freshman left-hander Cord Rager, and the Heels scored on Gallaher’s RBI single and Colin Hynek’s sacrifice fly. The Tar Heels only got three hits after the first inning, and three of their seven hits were from Jake Schaffner, who said the approach never really changed.
“I think that just sticking to our approach that Coach [Jesse Wierzbicki] and Coach [Scott] Jackson gave to us,” Schaffner said. “Credit to their pitchers. They pitched a pretty good game. But, again, I thought we put some good swings on balls. It just didn’t fall, didn’t go our way [Saturday]. But we’ll be ready to go [Sunday].”
Rager (7–3; 5 innings, 3 runs, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts) settled into a good rhythm after the first inning, not giving up a hit after Schaffner’s one-out second-inning single and finishing with 100 pitches after throwing 36 in the first inning.
Forbes said Rager became more effective once he started landing secondary pitches.
“Early on, he couldn’t land that breaker very much, and he couldn’t throw his change-up for a strike,” Forbes said. “He started throwing those, especially in some big 3–2 counts. The team that a lot of times wins those 3-2 counts ends up winning the game offensively. It wasn’t like it was a really electric pitch. But he did enough to get you off the fastball.”
In his final college start, DeCaro (11–3; 3⅔ innings, 7 hits, 7 runs, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts) struck out the side in the first inning, but Oklahoma took the lead three batters into the game on LaChance’s two-run homer just over the right-center field wall. LaChance added a two-out solo shot in the third inning, and DeCaro said the trouble came when he left too much over the plate.
“I think they just really punished the mistakes,” DeCaro said. “I feel like, for the most part, I made some pitches, and then whenever I did leave a ball over the plate, especially with two strikes, they capitalized. And credit to them for that.”
Forbes thought DeCaro had quality stuff despite the result.
“I thought Jason was aggressive. I thought he had really good stuff,” Forbes said. “In their big inning, they did it all with two outs and, again, they got some big hits. We weren’t able to get those big hits.”
One strike away from getting out of the fourth inning, DeCaro gave up a two-run line single up the middle to Kyle Branch after Oklahoma got a walk and a Desan Harris double. Jason Walk followed with an RBI single, ending DeCaro’s day in favor of sophomore right-hander Walker McDuffie.
Walk stole second and scored on Camden Johnson’s RBI single as the Sooners pushed their pressure further. Oklahoma finished with five stolen bases, something Schaffner said UNC had anticipated.
“For sure, we knew they like to steal bases. They’re aggressive on the base paths,” Schaffner said. “We knew they were going to try to steal some bags. We’ll be ready to get after them tomorrow.”
Oklahoma added another run off McDuffie (2⅓ innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts) in the sixth inning on Walk’s RBI single.
Graduate left-hander Tom Chmielewski was impressive in relief for UNC, pitching 2+ two-hit innings, giving up a run, a walk and striking out two. Cameron Padgett gave up one hit over one inning.
Forbes said Chmielewski’s outing gave the Tar Heels a chance to hang around.
“I was really proud of Chewy for going in there and never pitching here and keeping us in the game, giving us a chance to come back,” Forbes said. “We could just never piece it together and make that run that we generally do.”
The outings by Chmielewski and Padgett also mean Caden Glauber got another day of rest, and should be able to go long in relief on Sunday.
“It’s all hands on deck,” Forbes said “We did it at Clemson. We were tied and went for it. And obviously, we have no choice but to go for it [Sunday]. Everybody is going to be well-rested. And Lynch will get us going and we’ll go from there. But [Glauber] will be ready to pitch.
Forbes said the response now has to be immediate, just as it has been all season.
“Loved the way our guys competed. Loved the way they carried themselves,” Forbes said. “But I believe you give credit where credit’s due, and I thought Oklahoma played a pretty complete game. We’ll flush that quickly, like we have been doing all year, and we’ll wake up and be excited to play tomorrow.”
Notes
— After Rager gave up only two hits in seven shutout innings a week earlier against Alabama with no walks, UNC doubled that hit total in its two-run first inning.
— It was DeCaro’s shortest outing since also going 3⅔, giving up six hits and three runs, in a 7–5 Chapel Hill Regional win May 30 over East Carolina.
— Gallaher’s nine RBI are the most by a Tar Heel in one CWS.
— French’s sensational third-inning catch at the wall on Jason Walk’s liner. It was a big play after his drop in right field cost UNC a game at Duke on April 24.
— Colin Hynek (2-for-15) and Macon Winslow (1-for-12) are a combined 3-for-27 in the CWS.
— The game drew 24,707 fans.
— Making its second CWS Finals appearance in five years, Oklahoma seeks its fourth national championship after winning titles in 1951, 1994 and 2022.
— This is UNC’s second consecutive Game 1 CWS Finals loss, after losing 11–4 in 2007 to Oregon State, which won the title with a 9–3 Game 2 victory.
— Carolina’s 53 wins are tied for the second-most behind the 56–10 CWS team in 2013. The CWS teams in 2006, 2007 and 2008 also won 53 games.
— The Sooners lead the all-time series 4–2, with both losses coming in last season’s Chapel Hill Regional.
Oklahoma 9, No 4 UNC 3
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; Sooners lead series 1-0
Game 2 (Oklahoma home team): Sunday, 2:39 p.m., ABC
Game 3 (UNC home team): Monday, if needed, 7:09 p.m., ESPN
| 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 |
| 2 | Saturday | L, 9–3 | CWS Finals vs. Oklahoma | 53–13–1 |
| 21 | Sunday | 2:39 p.m. | vs. Oklahoma | ABC |
| 22 | Monday | 7:09 (if needed) | vs. Oklahoma | ESPN |
Photos by Gene Galin
