06/12/26 09:27:00
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06/12 21:26 CDT Colin Hynek's 3-run HR secures North Carolina's 6-2 College
World Series win over Mississippi
Colin Hynek's 3-run HR secures North Carolina's 6-2 College World Series win
over Mississippi
By ERIC OLSON
AP Sports Writer
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) --- Colin Hynek's three-run homer broke open a close game in
the eighth inning and sent North Carolina to a 6-2 win over Mississippi in the
College World Series on Friday night.
The Tar Heels had just three hits through seven innings and led 3-2 when Hynek
ripped Walker Hook's first pitch to him out to left with two outs.
Carolina (51-12-1), playing in the CWS for the second time in three years, will
face West Virginia on Sunday with control of Bracket 1 at stake. Mississippi
(41-22), in Omaha for the first time since winning the national title in 2022,
will try to stave off elimination against Troy on Sunday.
North Carolina scored twice in the seventh inning to take a 3-2 lead, with Jake
Schaffner's sacrifice fly tying it and Gavin Gallaher's line drive up the
middle driving in the go-ahead run.
Rebels leadoff man Dom Decker, hitless in two CWS games for Murray State last
year, doubled twice off Carolina ace Jason DeCaro. Decker's first double put
Mississippi up 1-0 in the third, and he scored the go-ahead run in the seventh
on Judd Utermark's single off Caden Glauber.
DeCaro, who pitched a two-hitter against Southern California in the second game
of their super regional last Saturday, struck out nine in 6 2/3 innings and
appeared to get stronger as he went along until Decker's hit in the seventh.
Glauber (11-0) worked the last 2 1/3 innings.
Owen Hull, the hero of the Tar Heels' super regional-clinching walk-off win
over USC last Sunday, homered off Mississippi starter Taylor Rabe in the sixth
to tie it at 1.
Rabe, who retired the next two batters before Hudson Calhoun relieved, had
turned in strong starts in the regionals and super regionals but wasn't as
sharp against the Tar Heels. He allowed one hit over the first five innings,
but he walked a season-high four.
The Rebels had broken through against DeCaro in the third after left fielder
Tyler Howe lost Brayden Randle's fly in the sun. The ball landed just inside
the line, Randle ended up on second and he came home on Decker's double.
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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
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