For the second straight day, a late-inning onslaught doomed the Tar Heels at the College World Series. Trailing by three runs through seven innings, Oregon State scored four times in the eighth and four times in the ninth on Wednesday night to defeat North Carolina 11-6 in an elimination game in Omaha, Neb.
The Beavers, who had previously lost to UNC 8-6 last Friday, advance to play Mississippi State on Friday. A Bulldogs win would advance them to the title round. If Oregon State wins, the sides would meet again Saturday to determine a finalist.
First-inning home runs from Cadyn Grenier and Adley Rutschman got the Beavers off to a good start, but the Tar Heels bounced back to lead 6-4 after seven. Rutschman’s three-run double was the big blow in the eighth, and Tyler Malone’s two-run home run in the ninth helped put the game away. Kyle Daltres led the way for UNC (44-20), going 3-for-5 with a home run, double and two RBI in the loss.
Oregon State’s Jake Mulholland tossed three shutout innings of one-hit relief to earn the win.
The outcome was eerily similar to Carolina’s 12-2 loss to Mississippi State on Tuesday, when the Bulldogs’ eight-run eighth inning blew open a tight game.
