North Carolina edged past West Virginia 5-2 in a tightly contested College World Series showdown, keeping the Tar Heels alive in the tournament and moving them to a 52-12-1 record.
A seventh-inning surge
The Tar Heels broke a 2-2 tie with a three-run burst in the seventh, sparked by Gavin Gallaher’s two-run triple that sent the crowd into a frenzy and put the team ahead for good.
Reliever Walker McDuffie entered in the fifth and delivered 3.2 scoreless innings, while closer Caden Glauber sealed the win with his fifth save of the season, striking out the final two batters.
With the victory, Carolina will meet either West Virginia or Troy on Wednesday, while West Virginia prepares to host Troy in an elimination game on Tuesday.
The Tar Heels’ 2-0 start in the series marks their first such opening since 2006, underscoring the program’s resurgence under current leadership.