USC baseball shut out to UNC, sets up winner-take-all Game 3

Red-hot USC baseball was cooled off on Saturday in a 4-0 loss to No. 5 seed UNC in Game 2 of the Super Regionals. The loss sets the table for a winner-take-all Game 3 on Sunday for a trip to the College World Series.

Sunday’s first pitch with be at 12 p.m. PT (3 p.m. ET).

The Trojan offense had no answer for UNC ace Jason DeCaro, who pitched nine shutout innings with the season on the line. DeCaro allowed just two hits with one walk and eight strikeouts.

Saturday marks the first time USC baseball has been shutout this season. USC’s two hits set a season-low and snapped a seven-game streak of at least 10 hits in a game.

Overall, the Trojans failed to get a runner at second base all afternoon.

Turning Point

Leading 1-0 for most the game, the Tar Heels finally broke through in the sixth with another solo home run and sac fly off reliever Sax Matson for a 3-0 advantage. UNC added another run in the seventh on a sac fly, but again faulted on bases loaded, hitting into a huge 5-3-2 double play.

The huge defensive play kept USC baseball in it, but the offense failed to get a runner on base for the final three innings.

The Tar Heels drew first blood with a one-out solo home run from Colin Hynek at the top of the second. They nearly added more with a deep fly ball that was a strong gust away from being a two-run shot.

UNC applied pressure on USC starter Grant Govel with bases loaded in the third with one out, reminiscent to loaded bases on Friday. But again, UNC stranded all runners with a pop-out on a 3-1 pitch and a huge strikeout from Govel.

The hosts returned for more runs in the fifth with runners at the corners with one out thanks to consecutive hard-hit singles. But Govel and the defense responded with a huge 6-4-3 double play to preserve the 1-0 game.

Govel finished with five hits allowed, one run, one walk and three strikeouts over five innings.

USC Baseball Winner-Take-All Game 3

The Saturday loss sets up a winner-take-all Game 3 with a 2026 College World Series berth on the line. The Trojans have not been to CWS since 2001 while UNC is looking for its third berth since 2018.

The Tar Heels could go a couple options in Game 3 on the mound, including ACC Freshman of the Year Caden Glauber. The freshman is 10-0 on the season with a 2.06 ERA, sixth in the nation. Glauber has two starts this year but is lockdown in short and long relief. He is also second on the team in saves (4).

Most projections have lefty junior Folger Boaz taking the bump for the Tar Heels Sunday. Boaz has struggled this year, pitching to a 7.03 ERA with 14 starts this year.

USC might turn to sophomore Andrew Johnson (R), who has been elite his last two outings. But he gave a 124-pitch effort of 7.1 innings and three runs allowed in a must-win game last Sunday over Texas A&M. Johnson threw 34 pitches in Friday’s win with 3.2 clean innings. He did not pitch on Saturday.