North Carolina outlasts heat, Oregon State
Game sets CWS record for length; temp reached 95.
OMAHA, NEB. — North Carolina knocked out Oregon State ace Luke Heimlich during a five-run third inning and went on to beat the Beavers 8-6 Saturday in the opening game of the College World Series.
The Tar Heels (44-18) used six pitchers in a 4-hour, 24-minute slog in 95-degree heat that was the longest nine-inning game in CWS history. They turned back threats from one of the nation’s most potent offenses in the sixth and seventh innings and prevailed against an opponent they hadn’t faced since losing to the Beavers in the 2006 and 2007 CWS finals.
Ashton McGee and Ben Casparius, North Carolina’s Nos. 8 and 9 batters, combined to drive in five runs as the Tar Heels built leads of 6-1 and 8-4.
Oregon State (49-11-1) was poised to go ahead in the seventh after loading the bases with two outs against Josh Hiatt and Steven Kwan coming to bat. Kwan had reached base on his first four trips to the plate and had struck out only 15 times in 247 at-bats, making him one of the toughest players in the nation to strike out. Cooper Criswell came on and struck him out on three pitches.
The Beavers were uncharacteristically sloppy while losing their third straight game over two years in Omaha. Carolina scored on a passed ball, and the Beavers committed three errors after making one in their first five NCAA Tournament games.
Then there was Heimlich
CWS SCHEDULE
Arkansas vs. Tulsa, 2 p.m. (ESPN)
Florida vs. Texas Tech, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
(16-2), the two-time Pac-12 pitcher of the year who lasted just 2⅓ innings — his shortest start in two years. The first two Carolina batters reached base each of the first three innings, and the senior lefthander was charged for the Tar Heels’ first six runs. He hit three batters, walked one and struck out two.
Oregon State got three runs back in the third to pull to 6-4 and had a chance to pull closer or take the lead in the sixth with runners on first and second. But Carolina shortstop Ike Freeman jumped high to snare Cadyn Grenier’s liner, and he threw back to second to double off pinch runner Preston Jones.
Caden O’Brien (7-0), the second Carolina pitcher, worked 1⅔ innings for the win. Criswell pitched the last 2⅓ innings for his first save.
North Carolina starter Gianluca Dalatri threw only 15 pitches before leaving with two outs in the first inning. Dalatri had missed 12 weeks with a street reaction in his right (throwing) elbow and was making his fifth start since May 19. Velocity on Dalatri’s fastball was off, and he signaled for a mound visit after he walked Adley Rutschman. Dalatri reported no pain but said his pitches didn’t have much life on them.
North Carolina next plays the Mississippi State-Washington winner on Monday night. Oregon State meets the Mississippi State-Washington loser on Monday afternoon.