Owen Hull Is Ripping the Cover Off the Ball and North Carolina Fans Should Be Holding Their Breath
HOLY COW, folks! No. 5 North Carolina is officially headed to the 2026 College World Series Finals! They punched their ticket to the championship series by absolutely taking down No. 16 West Virginia with a 12-7 win on Wednesday. But get this, it wasn't just a win, it was a showcase, especially for one dude who was an absolute nightmare at the plate.
Owen Hull Is Playing on Another Planet
Seriously, Owen Hull, what are you even eating for breakfast? The guy came out of the dugout ready to mash, and he wasted ZERO time making an impact in the Bracket 1 championship. First inning, top of the frame, he laces a 108 MPH RBI double off the wall. BOOM! That immediately put North Carolina on the board. He wasn't done! He pulled off a stolen base and scored thanks to a throwing error. Pure hustle, setting the tone.
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Hull didn't have a good moment, he had a REMARKABLE day. He finished 4-for-5 with ALL of those hits going for extra bases. Can you believe it? He was only a home run shy of the cycle and ended up knocking in four huge runs. The Tar Heels were absolutely cruising, leading 12-1 at the seventh inning stretch. You'd think it was over, right? Things got a touch dicey for a minute. West Virginia wasn't going down without a fight. Starting with an infield single from Armani Guzman, they strung together five runs in a two-out rally in the seventh, making it interesting. They even tacked on one more in the eighth, but that hole was just too deep. West Virginia's magical season, which included their first ever CWS appearance, comes to an end, what a run for them.
History Beckons, But Will The Tar Heels Answer?
North Carolina is in the finals! That's huge. This is the first time Steve Forbes' squad has been this close to a national title since they made back-to-back appearances in 2007 and 2008. The problem? They came up short both times. And here's the kicker, this is their THIRTEENTH trip to Omaha, Nebraska. THIRTEEN! That gives them the dubious distinction of having the second-most CWS appearances without actually winning a national championship. Ouch. That's gotta be hanging over their heads.
The Tar Heels get to sit back and watch the fireworks. They're waiting for the winner of the Bracket 2 title matchup between Oklahoma and No. 3 Georgia. That game kicks off tonight at 7 p.m. ET at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. If Oklahoma wins, they're in. Simple as that. But Georgia, who lost to the Sooners earlier in the tournament, has to win tonight to force a decisive game on Thursday. Talk about high stakes! Whoever comes out of that gauntlet will be battle-tested.
What's next for North Carolina? They'll play the Bracket 2 winner in Game 1 of the CWS Finals on Saturday, June 20, TBD on ESPN. Game 2 is Sunday, June 21, at 2:30 p.m. on ABC. If it goes to a Game 3, that'll be Monday, June 22, at 7 p.m. on ESPN. The pressure is ON. Can Steve Forbes and Owen Hull finally break the curse? Or will the weight of history be too much? We're all watching to see if this is finally their year!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.