University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: NATE SKVORETZ
Lucas: USC Rapid Reactions (G3)
June 7, 2026 | Baseball, Featured Writers, Adam Lucas
Quick takeaways from game three of the super regional.
By Adam Lucas
1. Baseball is alternately frustrating and incredible and miserable and exhilarating, and bless those Diamond Heels boys. More later, but right now, that was one of the best games in Boshamer Stadium history and the Tar Heels are going back to Omaha.
2. The final two innings were extraordinary. It started when Macon Winslow finally knocked Andrew Johnson out of the game, smoking an RBI double to the base of the wall that cut the UNC deficit to just one run. That put the game in the hands of the Southern Cal bullpen, and then things got interesting.
3. The Trojans clearly didn't have the same level of trust in the 'pen that they'd had in Johnson. They yanked Sax Matson after he plunked Erik Paulsen, and that handed the game to Adam Troy.
4. From the beginning of his warmup pitches, Troy didn't appear to have great command. And although he worked out of the eighth, he quickly found trouble in the ninth.
5. With one out, Cooper Nicholson may have had the key at bat of the game. His eight-pitch walk gave Carolina some life. When Troy went to 3-0 on Carter French, USC head coach Andy Stankiewicz made the unorthodox move to Chase Herrell. To his credit, Herrell fired in strike one and strike two to Carter French.
6. But then French, who had come off the bench for Rom Kellis V, smacked a single to right that put runners at the corners. A Jake Schaffner sacrifice fly tied the score (the Heels were kings of the sac fly this weekend, but feel free to turn those into doubles in Omaha, boys).Â
7. Then, after Gavin Gallaher walked, Owen Hull smoked the walk-off hit to center. It was the third time in the last two days that Southern Cal had looked uncertain tracking a fly ball. One came yesterday on a foul ball near the wall behind first. One came on the previous pitch to Hull, as the Trojans let a pop foul fall near the third base wall. And the third sent Carolina to the College World Series. It was a nice reminder of exactly why you try so hard to earn that top eight national seed--because you want to play in your park where you are familiar with all the nooks and crannies and have caught thousands of fly balls and grounders over the last six months.
8. The Tar Heel pitching was outstanding. Caden Glauber struck out 11 and walked just one in his 7.1 innings. He effectively made two bad pitches, and to their credit, Southern Cal hit both of them for solo homers.
9. Then Bryant Gaines and Scott Forbes turned to another freshman, Jackson Rose, who threw an inning of hitless relief. Walker McDuffie got the final two outs and ultimately got the win, and what a nice story for the Broadway native to have a rough Friday but then come back Sunday and have the toughness to keep the Heels close enough to win the game in the bottom of the ninth.
10. If you were there, you know this: the Boshamer Stadium crowd made a difference. It started as soon as Troy took his warmups, as the crowd cheered every pitch he bounced to the plate. He never looked like he got comfortable after that. Boshamer crowds can occasionally be too passive. This one helped take control in the eighth and ninth.
11. Just a reminder: there was a hair's difference in everyone going home happy and Southern Cal dog-piling in Chapel Hill. That's what makes it so extraordinarily difficult to make it to the College World Series. These trips aren't guaranteed, and to have done it twice in three years without some of the big-money advantages enjoyed by other programs is a testament to the entire program, staff and players.
12. Carolina will face Ole Miss in the College World Series, with the full schedule to be announced in the next 24 hours or so.Â
1. Baseball is alternately frustrating and incredible and miserable and exhilarating, and bless those Diamond Heels boys. More later, but right now, that was one of the best games in Boshamer Stadium history and the Tar Heels are going back to Omaha.
2. The final two innings were extraordinary. It started when Macon Winslow finally knocked Andrew Johnson out of the game, smoking an RBI double to the base of the wall that cut the UNC deficit to just one run. That put the game in the hands of the Southern Cal bullpen, and then things got interesting.
3. The Trojans clearly didn't have the same level of trust in the 'pen that they'd had in Johnson. They yanked Sax Matson after he plunked Erik Paulsen, and that handed the game to Adam Troy.
4. From the beginning of his warmup pitches, Troy didn't appear to have great command. And although he worked out of the eighth, he quickly found trouble in the ninth.
5. With one out, Cooper Nicholson may have had the key at bat of the game. His eight-pitch walk gave Carolina some life. When Troy went to 3-0 on Carter French, USC head coach Andy Stankiewicz made the unorthodox move to Chase Herrell. To his credit, Herrell fired in strike one and strike two to Carter French.
6. But then French, who had come off the bench for Rom Kellis V, smacked a single to right that put runners at the corners. A Jake Schaffner sacrifice fly tied the score (the Heels were kings of the sac fly this weekend, but feel free to turn those into doubles in Omaha, boys).Â
7. Then, after Gavin Gallaher walked, Owen Hull smoked the walk-off hit to center. It was the third time in the last two days that Southern Cal had looked uncertain tracking a fly ball. One came yesterday on a foul ball near the wall behind first. One came on the previous pitch to Hull, as the Trojans let a pop foul fall near the third base wall. And the third sent Carolina to the College World Series. It was a nice reminder of exactly why you try so hard to earn that top eight national seed--because you want to play in your park where you are familiar with all the nooks and crannies and have caught thousands of fly balls and grounders over the last six months.
8. The Tar Heel pitching was outstanding. Caden Glauber struck out 11 and walked just one in his 7.1 innings. He effectively made two bad pitches, and to their credit, Southern Cal hit both of them for solo homers.
9. Then Bryant Gaines and Scott Forbes turned to another freshman, Jackson Rose, who threw an inning of hitless relief. Walker McDuffie got the final two outs and ultimately got the win, and what a nice story for the Broadway native to have a rough Friday but then come back Sunday and have the toughness to keep the Heels close enough to win the game in the bottom of the ninth.
10. If you were there, you know this: the Boshamer Stadium crowd made a difference. It started as soon as Troy took his warmups, as the crowd cheered every pitch he bounced to the plate. He never looked like he got comfortable after that. Boshamer crowds can occasionally be too passive. This one helped take control in the eighth and ninth.
11. Just a reminder: there was a hair's difference in everyone going home happy and Southern Cal dog-piling in Chapel Hill. That's what makes it so extraordinarily difficult to make it to the College World Series. These trips aren't guaranteed, and to have done it twice in three years without some of the big-money advantages enjoyed by other programs is a testament to the entire program, staff and players.
12. Carolina will face Ole Miss in the College World Series, with the full schedule to be announced in the next 24 hours or so.Â
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