The top of the eighth inning became a pivotal unraveling point, as Carolina (46-15) wasted Ryan Lynch’s pitching gem.
Arizona’s Andrew Cain scored from second base on Gallaher’s throwing error, cutting the Tar Heels’ lead to 3-2.
And the Wildcats, blown out 18-2 by UNC two days earlier in the opener of this best-of-3 super regional series, had grabbed a 4-3 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
But the freshman McDuffie, the Tar Heels’ bullpen stopper with seven saves on the season, couldn’t hold that lead.
NCAA SUPER REGIONALS BEST-OF-3 SERIES Friday’s result at Boshamer Stadium North Carolina 18, Arizona 2 Saturday’s result Arizona 10, UNC 8 Sunday’s game Arizona 4, UNC 3 (Arizona wins series)
N. CHAPEL HILL. A. From the team’s first meeting ten months ago, North Carolina had a return path to the College World Series, an NCAA baseball tournament journey that was planned and plotted within its collective grasp.
On Sunday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium, the host Tar Heels lost to tenacious Arizona 4-3 in this winner-take-all super regional rubber match, resulting in a particularly painful season-ending defeat.
Even with a two-run advantage going into the eighth inning here at home, UNC once again failed to make the game-winning final moves, putting them one win away from returning to college baseball’s premier stage. Mason White hit a two-run single with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth inning to put the visiting Wildcats ahead 3-2 and force them to stay in this final game of the best-of-three super regional series. No, the Tar Heels. dropped their first back-to-back home games of the season and were eliminated from the tournament as the fifth-seeded team in the NCAA field.
The top of the eighth inning turned into a crucial turning point when Ryan Lynch’s pitching gem was squandered by Carolina (46-15). In another extremely stressful postseason assignment, the unflappable rookie Lynch twirled a two-hitter through seven innings. On Tommy Splaine’s bouncing grounder in the top of the eighth, he also seemed to have rolled a crucial double-play ball.
However, with two runners on base and no outs, Arizona was in business after second baseman Jackson Van De Brake booted it. The team was behind 3-1. One batter later, that error proved more costly when Gavin Gallaher, the charging third baseman for UNC, uncorked an incorrect throw that went wide of teammate Hunter Stokely at first base after catching Easton Breyfogle’s dribbling bunt. Gallaher’s throwing error allowed Andrew Cain of Arizona to score from second base, reducing the Tar Heels’ lead to 3-2.
“When you play, you never make a mistake on purpose, obviously,” UNC coach Scott Forbes responded when questioned about Van De Brake’s fielding error on what might have been a textbook double-play ball. Furthermore, our middle infield has excelled. Simply said, the ball bounced up on him. He clearly made an effort to make the play. Our mindset is simply “next-play.”. Furthermore, it speaks highly of our team that we managed to escape with a chance despite making two mistakes. However, since no one is flawless, I always felt bad for the player. They’ve been excellent, man. “,”.
The final pitch of Lynch’s career-high 91 was a fumbled grounder by Van De Brake after Forbes called to the bullpen to face Breyfogle with Walker McDuffie. Aidan Haugh took McDuffie’s place after he got Aaron Walton on an infield pop-out and walked Arizona’s Brendan Summerhill on a full count.
With the bases loaded, White of Arizona then promptly hit the two-run single. And the Wildcats had taken a 4-3 lead they wouldn’t let go of after losing to UNC 18-2 two days prior in the first game of this best-of-three super regional series. Here on Saturday, Carolina took an 8–6 lead in the seventh inning. However, the Tar Heels’ rookie bullpen stopper McDuffie, who has seven saves this season, was unable to maintain that advantage.
Chip Hale, the coach of Arizona, made reference to UNC’s eighth-inning mistakes made by Van De Brake and Gallaher when he said, “I’ve been in that situation before.”. “We’ve lost playoff games in that manner in professional ball, and I’ve experienced it. And it’s not a pleasant sensation. It’s part of the game, though, to capitalize on the mistakes. We swung and missed a lot on that pitch in the early and mid-year. At least we forced them to perform. “..”.
The NCAA regional hosted by No. 1 was easily won by the Wildcats (44-19). Last weekend, Oregon, ranked 12th overall, faced No. In Omaha, Nebraska, Coastal Carolina, the 13th national seed, is waiting. in their opening game of the College World Series. Arizona, which will be participating in the CWS for the 19th time, has won 10 of its last 11 games. This is the Wildcats’ first trip to Omaha since 2021 and their first game under coach Hale, who is in his fourth season.
Haugh was only used as a weekend starter during the regular season, but UNC used him both Saturday and Sunday out of the bullpen. Forbes remarked, “I have no doubt in my mind that it was the right move with Aidan,” alluding to the choice made on Sunday to put him up against the left-handed White. “He only made a single change. “..”.
White of Arizona claimed that Haugh “showed me what he was trying to do” in Saturday’s second game of this super regional, which the counterpunching Wildcats won 10-8 after a close contest.
On Sunday, White remarked, “I don’t know how many times I saw him, but I remember the one or two at-bats I did see him.”. On Saturday, I was able to view everything. He attacked me in the same manner as he did yesterday, and I was aware of that going into the at-bat (on Sunday). “,”.
When Lynch was rolling on the mound earlier on Sunday, Van De Brake hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the third inning to put UNC ahead 3-1. There, Van De Brake pounded an off-speed pitch from Smith Bailey, the rookie starter for Arizona, and the 346-foot blast left his bat traveling out to left field at 110 mph.
It was the third home run in the last eight games and the fifth in the last 14 games for team captain Van De Brake. However, the Tar Heels only managed to go 5-for-31 at the plate that day, going 0-for-7 with two outs and 2-for-13 with runners on base.
Alex Madera singled in the fourth and Hunter Stokely singled in the sixth, but Carolina only managed two hits the rest of the way after Van De Brake hit a home run in the third inning. The lead for UNC remained at 3-1 after Tyson Bass grounded into a double play to end the bottom of the sixth inning. When Madera grounded out in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Tar Heels were behind 4-3 and had two runners aboard with two outs.
According to Madera, “Obviously, we came up short.”. “But I don’t think that reflects the effort we’ve put in throughout the season to reach this stage. The obvious objective is to make it to Omaha and take home the national title. However, we just fell short a bit. “.”.
Forbes referred to Lynch’s pitching performance on Sunday as “phenomenal” during yet another intense postseason moment. Prior to the game, the freshman had helped UNC defeat Oklahoma in the NCAA regional final and Clemson in the ACC Tournament title game.
Lynch’s postseason numbers improved to 20 strikeouts in 17 innings of work, despite giving up two earned runs and recording five strikeouts in this game against Arizona. There were only three hits he gave up that afternoon: a single in the eighth inning, a double in the fifth, and a solo home run by Garen Caulfield with two outs in the top of the second inning.
Super Regionals in NCAA.
The best-of-three series.
Boshamer Stadium’s outcome on Friday.
Arizona 2, North Carolina 18.
The outcome was on Saturday.
UNC 8 vs Arizona 10.
The game on Sunday.
Arizona wins the series, 4–3 against UNC.
