What UNC baseball players said after advancing to College World Series

[ASFN Admin]

Sunday afternoon was a movie at Boshamer Stadium. With the UNC baseball team down to its final two outs against USC, in Game 3 of its own Super Regional, a comeback for the ages ensued.

Owen Hull blasted a 2-1, 2-out pitch off Chase Herrell to left-center field, watching the baseball drop just past the outstretched glove of Kevin Takeuchi and sending North Carolina to Omaha with a 4-3, walk-off win in the ninth inning.

Hull ended his day 4-for-5 with four doubles, two RBI and one run, saving his best performance in a Diamond Heels uniform for their final, 2026 game at The Bosh. Cooper Nicholson started UNC's ninth-inning base traffic, working his way back from an 0-2 count to walk. Carter French singled through the infield, Jake Schaffner drove Nicholson in for the 3-3 tie on a sacrifice fly, then Hull ended things.

Star freshman Caden Glauber started for the Diamond Heels on the mound, rebounding from early trouble to finish with 11 strikeouts through 7 1/3 innings. Jackson Rose continued his strong postseason run, hurling a perfect frame, while Walker McDuffie earned the win in 2/3 innings of work.

North Carolina knows it'll play Ole Miss in the College World Series, with both teams' Omaha opener set for Friday at a time TBD. UNC will need strong performances from its top guys like Hull, while others like French need to continue delivering in the clutch.

As the Diamond Heels now prepare for their second CWS trip in three seasons, take a look at several postgame quotes from French, Glauber and Hull below, courtesy of our friends at TarHeel247:

Carter French on his big ninth-inning at-bat​

“Yeah so, they took the guy out, 3-0 count and so I had some time to just hang out. I knew I was going to take regardless, whoever was coming in, first pitch for sure. Coach Forbes came over, told me to take ‘till two. So I did and he told me that if you get to that point, you’re going to get a heater. I got a heater and just swung and found a hole through the infield.”

Carter French on what his moment meant in 2026 finale at The Bosh​

“Yeah, I was talking to Cam Padgett before the game about, this is our last game here at Bosh, no matter what. This is my last time playing baseball with this group. I just think that over the years, I’ve learned a lot from this sport that you can’t get too high, you can’t get too low. In that moment, I felt like we were so even-keeled and we just kept on plugging and it ended up working out in our favor for sure. I just think that we’re going to carry that on to Omaha and we’re not done yet. We got a lot more baseball left to play.”

Caden Glauber on the emotions of starting Game 3​

“Obviously, a little nervous coming in but good nerves. You always want good nerves. I was super excited to play for this great team, in a super important game for us. And there’s no other team I want to play for. This team has your back and I was super excited. It was awesome.”

Owen Hull on his "Bosh Magic" moment​

“I have no words to describe it. I’m out here having as much fun as I can. There’s no other group of boys, coaches I’d rather play for and I love this team so much.”

Owen Hull on what was said to him before walk-off double​

“No offense to coach, but I don’t remember what he said. I’m in a zone that, my family has a funny word for it called the O-Zone. Yeah, I just tap into it and then I’m up there having fun. I don’t know what’s happening. I’ve had my moments this season, good and bad in that zone. I’m out there giving everything I got, having the most fun I can with this group of boys.”

Owen Hull on the 2-0 pitch he fouled before game-winner​

“That I missed a changeup. Count was 2-1, he gave me another mistake, I was going to punch it and I did that.”

This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Baseball: What players said after advancing to College World Series

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