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North Carolina baseball is on an absolute tear. After being placed in a Regional of Death as a host, the Tar Heels are 8-1 in the NCAA Baseball Tournament, with just one loss peppered in against USC in the Chapel Hill Super Regional. They've won three games in Omaha by a combined score of 23-11, and they have been able to pull away late in games.
The catalyst to the success of the Diamond Heels isn't hard to find: It's right at the top of the lineup. The 1-2-3 punch of Jake Schaffner-Owen Hull-Gavin Gallaher has fueled the North Carolina offense, and the Heels have gone where those three have gone. Schaffner and Hull, first-year transfers from North Dakota State and George Mason, respectively, have joined Gallaher, a career Tar Heel who was part of their run in 2024. They have made it so North Carolina is impossible to pitch around early, and that has made this team extremely dangerous.
REQUIRED READING: Mike Fox, Scott Forbes and UNC's championship chase at CWS
Against West Virginia on June 17, Hull found himself a home run away from the cycle in what would be a 12-7 victory that North Carolina at one point led 12-1. But his loss was Gallaher's gain. Gallaher was 4-of-5 at the plate with four RBIs, with Hull scoring three times. It's the kind of order that can end a game before it begins, and in a CWS that has seen a lot of offense in its first innings, that's a boon for the Tar Heels against a turbocharged Oklahoma team.
With Cord Rager and Xander Mercurius likely to start for Oklahoma, North Carolina will be trying to get the Sooners to the bullpen early. Jason DeCaro and Ryan Lynch in theory give the Tar Heels an edge in the starting pitcher department, but theory ultimately means nothing, as Oklahoma has shown all postseason. The games have to be played. And the Tar Heels trio has to be on top of its game.
Here's a look at how each of North Carolina's top three players have fared so far in Omaha.
Coach Scott Forbes tinkered with the order a little, moving Hull to the two-spot for the third game against West Virginia after hitting Gallaher second for the first two games. That move paid huge dividends, with the two going a combined 8-for-10 with six RBIs.
"These guys know that I have their back, and you know whatever they need, and I’m lucky enough that they have mine," Gallaher said of the UNC order, per Sports Illustrated. "So when I'm up there at the plate it makes it easy on me. We know that everybody on this team is bought in and we can trust each other. So it makes it easy when you go up there, just try to do your job."
While everyone has been impressive in their own right, Hull has been on another planet, hence the decision to put him in the two-slot. Hull had another four-hit game in a decisive Game 3 against USC in super regionals, and three hits in Game 2 when the Tar Heels were facing elimination.
"I don't really have a word to describe Owen Hull," Schaffner said, per 247Sports. "He's unlike anyone I've ever seen before. He's a freak of nature."
"Gotta do your homework if you want to do well in school," Hull said to reporters after the win over West Virginia, when he was asked about how he studied UNC opponents the night before games.
All-in-all, North Carolina is going to go as far as its top three takes it. And as we've seen time and time again, the top three can take it pretty damn far.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Top of North Carolina order powering Heels through College World Series
Continue reading...
The catalyst to the success of the Diamond Heels isn't hard to find: It's right at the top of the lineup. The 1-2-3 punch of Jake Schaffner-Owen Hull-Gavin Gallaher has fueled the North Carolina offense, and the Heels have gone where those three have gone. Schaffner and Hull, first-year transfers from North Dakota State and George Mason, respectively, have joined Gallaher, a career Tar Heel who was part of their run in 2024. They have made it so North Carolina is impossible to pitch around early, and that has made this team extremely dangerous.
REQUIRED READING: Mike Fox, Scott Forbes and UNC's championship chase at CWS
Against West Virginia on June 17, Hull found himself a home run away from the cycle in what would be a 12-7 victory that North Carolina at one point led 12-1. But his loss was Gallaher's gain. Gallaher was 4-of-5 at the plate with four RBIs, with Hull scoring three times. It's the kind of order that can end a game before it begins, and in a CWS that has seen a lot of offense in its first innings, that's a boon for the Tar Heels against a turbocharged Oklahoma team.
With Cord Rager and Xander Mercurius likely to start for Oklahoma, North Carolina will be trying to get the Sooners to the bullpen early. Jason DeCaro and Ryan Lynch in theory give the Tar Heels an edge in the starting pitcher department, but theory ultimately means nothing, as Oklahoma has shown all postseason. The games have to be played. And the Tar Heels trio has to be on top of its game.
Jake Schaffner, Owen Hull, Gavin Gallaher stats for UNC baseball
Here's a look at how each of North Carolina's top three players have fared so far in Omaha.
- Jake Schaffner: 3-for-10 batting, four runs, two RBIs, three walks, two strikeouts
- Owen Hull: 7-for-13 batting, five runs, four RBIs, three strikeouts
- Gavin Gallaher: 6-for-14 batting, four runs, seven RBIs, two strikeouts
- Combined: 16-for-37 batting (.432 BA), 13 runs, 13 RBIs, seven strikeouts
Coach Scott Forbes tinkered with the order a little, moving Hull to the two-spot for the third game against West Virginia after hitting Gallaher second for the first two games. That move paid huge dividends, with the two going a combined 8-for-10 with six RBIs.
"These guys know that I have their back, and you know whatever they need, and I’m lucky enough that they have mine," Gallaher said of the UNC order, per Sports Illustrated. "So when I'm up there at the plate it makes it easy on me. We know that everybody on this team is bought in and we can trust each other. So it makes it easy when you go up there, just try to do your job."
While everyone has been impressive in their own right, Hull has been on another planet, hence the decision to put him in the two-slot. Hull had another four-hit game in a decisive Game 3 against USC in super regionals, and three hits in Game 2 when the Tar Heels were facing elimination.
"I don't really have a word to describe Owen Hull," Schaffner said, per 247Sports. "He's unlike anyone I've ever seen before. He's a freak of nature."
"Gotta do your homework if you want to do well in school," Hull said to reporters after the win over West Virginia, when he was asked about how he studied UNC opponents the night before games.
All-in-all, North Carolina is going to go as far as its top three takes it. And as we've seen time and time again, the top three can take it pretty damn far.
College World Series finals schedule
- Game 1: No. 5 North Carolina vs. Oklahoma | 8 p.m. | Saturday, June 20 | ESPN (Fubo)
- Game 2: No. 5 North Carolina vs. Oklahoma | 2:30 p.m. | Sunday, June 21 | ABC (Fubo)
- Game 3 (if necessary): 7 p.m. | Monday, June 22 | ESPN (Fubo)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Top of North Carolina order powering Heels through College World Series
Continue reading...
