North Carolina’s baseball team appeared on the brink of elimination on Thursday night, trailing 3-1 entering the bottom of the eighth inning against USC.
A Late Surge
Owen Hull stepped up in the ninth, delivering a line drive to deep left‑center that plated the winning run and capped a four‑hit performance that included his fourth double of the game.
Key Performances
Jason DeCaro’s strong outing in Game 3 kept the Tar Heels in contention, while Caden Glauber’s early balk gave USC a foothold. Kevin Takeuchi and Andrew Lamb added solo homers in the fourth and fifth innings to push the lead to 3‑1, but the Tar Heels chipped away.
Implications for the Tournament
The victory secured North Carolina’s second appearance in the College World Series in three seasons, while the loss knocked the Big Ten out of the event entirely. The Tar Heels will now join the other elite teams vying for the national title.