A Night of Drama in Chapel Hill
The atmosphere at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park was electric as the North Carolina Tar Heels faced off against the USC Trojans in a winner‑take‑all Super Regional game. Both programs brought storied histories, but it was the Tar Heels who entered the contest with a chance to end a 21‑year College World Series drought.
USC drew first blood in the opening inning when Adrian Lopez singled and scored on a triple by Augie Lopez, followed by Kevin Takeuchi’s solo home run in the fourth that put the Trojans up 2‑1. Andrew Lamb added a solo shot in the fifth, extending the lead to 3‑1, and starter Andrew Johnson kept UNC at bay through seven and two‑thirds innings.
The Tar Heels chipped away early, tying the game in the third when Jake Schaffner’s single scored Carter French from first. Owen Hull’s first double in the eighth brought the score to 3‑2, and a subsequent run‑scoring double by Macon Winslow narrowed the gap further, setting the stage for a ninth‑inning showdown.
In the bottom of the ninth, Adam Troy’s wild pitch moved Cooper Nicholson to third after a walk, and Jake Schaffner’s sacrifice fly tied the game at 3‑3. Gavin Gallaher’s walk loaded the bases, and Hull, who had gone 4 for 5 with two RBIs, delivered a 2‑1 pitch deep to left field that brought home Carter French with the game‑winning run.
The rally capped a performance in which Hull finished 4 for 5, drove in two runs, and showcased the kind of clutch hitting that defined the Tar Heels’ season. With the victory, North Carolina advanced to the College World Series, while USC’s impressive run — four straight wins by a combined 55‑14 score — fell just one game short of a historic berth.