What UNC baseball players said after beating West Virginia in CWS

[ASFN Admin]

Two games. Two wins. The UNC baseball squad is off to a hot start in Omaha, looking every bit of a College World Series contender.

On Sunday night, the Diamond Heels pulled away late once again, beating West Virginia 5-2 to stay in the winner's bracket.

Ryan Lynch started for North Carolina, scattering five hits, two walks and two earned runs over 4 2/3 innings. Walker McDuffie, usually UNC's closer, secured his ninth win in relief with 3 2/3 frames of scoreless baseball. Caden Glauber secured his fifth save, striking out both Mountaineers he faced.

The Diamond Heels scored early, something they needed to do for a win against WVU's solid pitching staff. Erik Paulsen drew a bases-loaded walk, then Owen Hull scored on a bases-loaded groundout in the first inning. The Mountaineers responded with a third-inning single and fourth-inning double-play to tie things, but not before Gavin Gallaher tripled and Hull single to give North Carolina a lead it never relinquished.

UNC will have a couple days off before playing its next CWS game, which will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET against the winner of Troy and West Virginia. Both the Trojans and Mountaineers will play in a 2 p.m. elimination game on Tuesday, with a UNC-WVU rematch very likely in the cards.

Will additional Diamond Heels step up Wednesday and be part of their program's first CWS Finals berth since 2007? While you prepare for Wednesday afternoon's game, take a look at what Hull, Glauber and Jake Schaffner said below after Sunday's nightcap, courtesy of our friends at TarHeel247:

On UNC starting 2-0 and what Sunday's win proved:​

Owen Hull: "We’re ready. We came here to handle business, top to bottom. We have a lot of confidence in ourselves to go out there and improve every day. We’re gonna go compete no matter who the opponent is.”

Caden Glauber: “It just gives us more confidence. We knew that we were gonna get it done. We’re the best team here like I’ve said and just the confidence we have to come and do this and have success here, it’s awesome for us.”

Jake Schaffner: "I mean not really (it hasn’t hit us yet). Coach Forbes always has us simplify the process. We’re gonna come out there Monday and Tuesday, have a great practice and be ready to battle on Wednesday.”

On the big seventh inning:​

Owen Hull: “Gavin's (Gallaher) a leader on this team. We all look up to him. He’s a role model, he’s got the C on his chest and we all follow his lead. He’s focused on trying to be the best version of himself. He’s sticking to that process which means most to our team.”

Hull: “Wait for the mistake. I got first pitch fouled it back and I was like, he’s not gonna beat me again, so I got a knock up the middle.”

Glauber: "We’re gonna have a chance. We’re the best team here. Just give us all the confidence in the world.”

Jake Schaffner: “He’s (Gallaher) a special player. He always comes through in big moments. It’s awesome competing and being able to play with him up the middle every single day.”

Schaffner: "I think everyone in the seventh ining and then on, did a great job of really sticking to that approach, forcing him out of the game and scratching across those runs.”

On Walker McDuffie and overall confidence in UNC's pitching staff:​

Hull: "This whole staff, I have the utmost confidence in the world in them. We’re gonna have their backs, we’re gonna score runs for them.”

Glauber: “He’s been doing it all season. Never a doubt with him in the game. Once he’s in the game, you kind of just sit back and relax and watch him perform. You just gotta attack them (pitches). Hitting’s hard and pitching’s hard. But we always have the upper hand it feels like and with our pitching staff, you can watch everybody. Walker, Jackson Rose. You watch everybody go out there and shove. You’re just trying to attack the hitters just like they do.”

Schaffner: "There’s nothing more to say. I think he’s (Glauber) one of the best pitchers in the country, if not the best. It’s been incredible playing behind him every single day this year. I think he’s (McDuffie) also another guy that’s one of the better pitchers in the country. It’s been great being able to see him pitch every single day. He works his butt off and it rewards him out there on the mound. It’s a joy to see him out there pitch.”

On approach to WVU ace Maxx Yehl:​

Hull: “A lot of respect to that team. West Virginia is a great team, I talked to them in the portal for a little bit. Great coach over there, a lot of respect for them. But Maxx had a great day today, we did our best to get him out, I think he got out in the seventh or eighth inning. It took us a while to get him out, but he’s a great pitcher.”

Schaffner: “Yeah obviously, he’s a very good pitcher. Our plan was to come out here today, grind out at-bats like we did on Friday. We knew he was going to have really good stuff. So just trying our best to scratch a couple across. That’s exactly what we did there in the later innings, we scratched a couple across. And our pitching did the rest.”

On fan support in Omaha:​

Hull: “Oh I love them. They’re the best.”

Glauber: “We have the best fan base in college baseball. Without them, we’re not here and they’ve played a huge part to our success.”

Schaffner: “Yeah it’s great. We’re the furthest team away from Omaha. And to see all these fans in Carolina Blue in the stands, the Tar Heel chants. It’s been unbelievable. They’re such a great fan base and I think they’re one of the best in the country.”

This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: College World Series: What UNC players said after beating West Virginia

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