Colin Hynek’s deep blast to left field in the second inning was a no-doubter, but the Tar Heels’ bats never fully got going in a must-win Game 2 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional.
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And so once again, when UNC’s offense needed some backing, its pitching game came through.
Jason DeCaro, North Carolina’s typical Friday starter, pitched the first nine-inning complete game of his UNC career — and the first for the Tar Heels in the postseason since freshman left-hander Kent Emanuel in the 2011 College World Series. With the Tar Heels’ season on the line, DeCaro’s career game couldn’t have come at a better time. Behind DeCaro’s gem, the No. 5 overall seed UNC baseball team beat USC, 4-0, to even the best-of-three Super Regional series at 1-1 and force a winner-take-all game at 3 p.m. Sunday at Boshamer Stadium.
DeCaro left a bit to be desired in his Chapel Hill Regional start — allowing three runs on six hits in a May 30 win over ECU — but never wavered against the Trojans. Southern Cal hadn’t been shut out all season, but the Trojans hadn’t yet faced DeCaro — the All-ACC First Team selectee who picked up his 11th win of the year Saturday.
Following an uncharacteristically poor performance from North Carolina’s pitching staff in Friday’s 9-5 loss to USC, DeCaro’s outing Saturday offered a reminder why the Tar Heels boast one of the best pitching staffs in college baseball in recent years.
The Tar Heels’ offense was held scoreless for three innings after Hynek’s solo home run, but got on the board again when UNC junior first baseman Erik Paulsen recorded a solo blast of his own to left field. It marked one of two runs North Carolina scored in the top of the sixth inning, with the other coming off a Rom Kellis V sacrifice fly to score Hynek.
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Macon Winslow hit a sacrifice fly of his own in the top of the seventh inning to score junior second baseman Gavin Gallaher — who had an excellent game defensively and was one of three Tar Heels (along with Owen Hull and Hynek) to record multiple hits Saturday.
One note of concern for UNC: North Carolina has gone 1 for 18 with runners in scoring position so far this weekend and stranded 21 runners in all.
The Tar Heels will look to improve upon that mark Sunday.
With the win, the Tar Heels and Trojans will face off in a winner-take-all Chapel Hill Super Regional Game 3 on Sunday at Boshamer Stadium. Forbes said
A win Sunday would send the Tar Heels to their ninth College World Series appearance since 2006 — seven of those trips coming after a Chapel Hill Super Regional — and 13th in program history.
The Tar Heels have never advanced to Omaha after dropping Game 1 of the Super Regionals.
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This story was originally published June 6, 2026 at 5:18 PM.