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Missing out on the College World Series by a game is tough. Missing out by outs is devastating.
Just ask USC baseball. In a winner-takes-all Game 3 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional, North Carolina battled back from being a run down against the Trojans in the ninth inning, culminating in a walk-off double off Owen Hull, the Tar Heels' RBI leader by a wide margin.
REQUIRED READING: North Carolina walks-off USC and punch ticket to College World Series
After USC coach Andy Stankiewicz made the unorthodox decision to pull closer Adam Troy in a 3-0 count after Troy had already issued a walk, a single from Carter French pushed Cooper Nicholson to third. From there, a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jake Schaffner tied the game for the Tar Heels before another walk put runners on first and second.
With runners on first and second and two outs, North Carolina was forced to pull the outfield in in case of a shallow single. Enter Owen Hull, who skied a fly ball to deep left center that landed just behind USC centerfielder Kevin Takeuchi, who appeared to struggle to find the well-hit ball.
For USC, it prolongs a CWS drought that now extends to 28 years. The Trojans managed to win the first game of the series by teeing off on the Tar Heels' best reliever Walker McDuffie, but McDuffie responded nicely on June 7 after hitting the first batter he faced in the ninth and ultimately notched the win.
North Carolina will play in Omaha for the second time in the past three years as it chases its first ever College World Series win. It battled out of a tough Chapel Hill Regional and needed every out in supers, so it's certainly proven it can win in the clutch. It will undoubtedly have to do so again in the CWS, where the stakes will be even higher.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Owen Hull propels UNC to CWS with walk-off hit
Continue reading...
Just ask USC baseball. In a winner-takes-all Game 3 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional, North Carolina battled back from being a run down against the Trojans in the ninth inning, culminating in a walk-off double off Owen Hull, the Tar Heels' RBI leader by a wide margin.
REQUIRED READING: North Carolina walks-off USC and punch ticket to College World Series
After USC coach Andy Stankiewicz made the unorthodox decision to pull closer Adam Troy in a 3-0 count after Troy had already issued a walk, a single from Carter French pushed Cooper Nicholson to third. From there, a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jake Schaffner tied the game for the Tar Heels before another walk put runners on first and second.
With runners on first and second and two outs, North Carolina was forced to pull the outfield in in case of a shallow single. Enter Owen Hull, who skied a fly ball to deep left center that landed just behind USC centerfielder Kevin Takeuchi, who appeared to struggle to find the well-hit ball.
For USC, it prolongs a CWS drought that now extends to 28 years. The Trojans managed to win the first game of the series by teeing off on the Tar Heels' best reliever Walker McDuffie, but McDuffie responded nicely on June 7 after hitting the first batter he faced in the ninth and ultimately notched the win.
North Carolina will play in Omaha for the second time in the past three years as it chases its first ever College World Series win. It battled out of a tough Chapel Hill Regional and needed every out in supers, so it's certainly proven it can win in the clutch. It will undoubtedly have to do so again in the CWS, where the stakes will be even higher.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Owen Hull propels UNC to CWS with walk-off hit
Continue reading...
