The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s baseball team saw its national championship hopes evaporate on a humid night in Omaha, as Oklahoma routed the Tar Heels 13‑2 in the final game of the College World Series.
Early Momentum
Oklahoma struck first, jumping to a 2‑0 lead in the top of the second inning when Kyle Branch’s single brought home a run, followed by a wild pitch that added another point.
The Tar Heels answered in the bottom of the third with a RBI single from Gavin Gallaher, narrowing the gap to 3‑1, but the momentum shifted as Oklahoma’s offense kept building.
Key Moments
A leadoff home run by Dayton Tockey in the fifth off reliever Matthew Matthijs sparked a surge, and later Kyle Branch drove in two more runs with a bases‑loaded single in the sixth.
Oklahoma’s bats exploded in the eighth, where Branch capped the inning with a three‑run homer, pushing the lead to double digits.
Pitching Duel
LJ Mercurius tossed 5.2 innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out five, but the Tar Heels’ bullpen struggled, eventually using eight pitchers, including Jackson Rose, who took the loss.
UNC left several runners on base throughout the middle innings, failing to capitalize against Mercurius, and only three relievers — Caden Glauber, Folger Boaz and Kyle Percival — escaped earned runs.
The victory marked Oklahoma’s third national championship since 1994 and denied UNC its first title in 13 CWS appearances, leaving the Tar Heels second in the all‑time appearance list behind Florida State.