Amber Aniston • June 18, 2026

North Carolina Powers Past West Virginia to Reach College World Series Finals

OMAHA, Neb. — No. 5 North Carolina is headed to the College World Series championship series for the first time since 2007 after defeating No. 16 West Virginia 12–7 on Wednesday afternoon at Charles Schwab Field. The Tar Heels built an early 12–1 lead and withstood a late Mountaineer rally to secure their fifth consecutive victory and advance to the national title round. 


North Carolina improved to 53–12–1 on the season and advanced to the championship series for the third time in program history, joining the 2006 and 2007 squads. West Virginia’s historic season came to an end at 47–17, marking the deepest postseason run in program history. 


Tar Heels Strike Early 


North Carolina wasted little time establishing control. 


Jake Schaffner opened the game with a walk and stolen base before Owen Hull drove him home with an RBI double off the wall in right-center field. Hull later stole third and scored on a throwing error, giving the Tar Heels an immediate 2–0 lead. 


West Virginia responded in the bottom half of the inning when Matthew Graveline delivered an RBI single that scored Armani Guzman and trimmed the deficit to 2–1. 


That would be as close as the Mountaineers would get for much of the afternoon. 


North Carolina Explodes in Middle Innings 


The Tar Heels took complete control during the third and fourth innings. 


After Schaffner reached base again in the third, Hull singled and Gavin Gallaher delivered an RBI single to extend the lead. Erik Paulsen followed with a bloop single before Cooper Nicholson ripped a two-run double into the gap, pushing North Carolina’s advantage to 5–1. 


One inning later, Hull doubled home Carter French before Gallaher lined a two-run single through a drawn-in infield. By the end of the fourth inning, the Tar Heels led 8–1 and had seized full momentum. 


North Carolina’s offense continued producing throughout the afternoon, scoring in six different innings and repeatedly capitalizing on opportunities with runners in scoring position. 


Hull and Gallaher Lead the Offensive Charge 


The Tar Heels received dominant performances from the heart of their lineup. 


Hull finished 4-for-5 with two doubles, a triple, two RBIs, and three runs scored. The standout performance left him just a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. 


Gallaher was equally impressive, going 4-for-5 with four RBIs. His four-run performance tied one of the best offensive outputs by a Tar Heel player in College World Series history. 


Paulsen added three hits, while Schaffner scored three runs and reached base four times from the leadoff spot. 


As a team, North Carolina went 8-for-10 with runners in scoring position, showcasing remarkable efficiency in key moments. 


Rose Stabilizes the Pitching Staff 


After starter Folger Boaz exited early, freshman Jackson Rose delivered one of the most important outings of the season. 


Rose worked 4.1 scoreless innings in relief, allowing only two hits while helping keep West Virginia’s offense under control during the middle innings. His performance earned him the victory and allowed North Carolina to steadily build its lead. 


One of the biggest moments came in the sixth inning when West Virginia loaded the bases with one out. Head coach Scott Forbes turned to Matthew Matthijs, who immediately induced a double play on his first pitch to escape the jam without damage. 


That sequence preserved North Carolina’s commanding advantage. 


Tar Heels Build a 12–1 Lead 


North Carolina continued extending its lead in the sixth and seventh innings. 


Hull tripled in the sixth before Gallaher drove him home with an RBI single. Gallaher later scored on another hit from Paulsen to make it 10–1. 


In the seventh, Carter French doubled home Macon Winslow before Schaffner added an RBI single, stretching the lead to 12–1. 


At that point, the game appeared all but over. 


Mountaineers Refuse to Quit 


West Virginia showed tremendous resilience despite facing an 11-run deficit. 


The Mountaineers erupted for five runs in the seventh inning, beginning with Gavin Kelly’s RBI triple. Seven consecutive hitters reached base as Sean Smith, Paul Schoenfeld, Graveline, and Matt Ineich all contributed offensively during the rally. 


The surge cut the deficit to 12–6 and forced North Carolina to turn to freshman reliever Caden Glauber. 


Kelly later added a solo home run in the eighth inning, his 19th of the season, tying the West Virginia single-season program record previously held by Jedd Gyorko and Mark Landers. 


Despite the late push, the Mountaineers could not complete the comeback. 


Glauber Closes Out Another Victory 


Glauber once again proved invaluable for North Carolina. 


The freshman struck out three batters over 2.1 innings and limited the damage after entering during West Virginia’s seventh-inning rally. The outing improved the Tar Heels to a remarkable 28–0 this season when Glauber appears. 


His ability to stabilize the game ensured North Carolina maintained control despite the Mountaineers’ late offensive burst. 


Historic Season Ends for West Virginia 


Although the loss ended West Virginia’s season, the Mountaineers completed the greatest year in program history. 


The team became the first in school history to reach Omaha and finished among the final four teams in the nation. Graveline finished 4-for-4 with two RBIs, while Kelly went 3-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored. 


Head coach Steve Sabins praised the team afterward, calling it the best season in the program’s 135-year history. 


Championship Series Awaits 


The victory sent North Carolina to the College World Series Finals for the first time in 19 years. 


The Tar Heels became the first UNC team since 2006 to begin the College World Series with a 3–0 record and improved to 8–1 overall in the NCAA Tournament. They advanced to face Oklahoma in the best-of-three national championship series. 


Final Takeaway 


North Carolina’s 12–7 victory over West Virginia was defined by an explosive offense, timely relief pitching, and relentless execution with runners in scoring position. The Tar Heels built a massive early lead behind standout performances from Owen Hull and Gavin Gallaher and then weathered a late Mountaineer rally. 


West Virginia fought until the final out and concluded the greatest season in program history, but North Carolina’s offensive firepower proved too much to overcome. 


With the win, the Tar Heels advanced to the College World Series championship series and moved within two victories of a national title. 

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