Owen Hull and Jason DeCaro deliver a MCWS win for UNC

Jun 12, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels starting pitcher Jason DeCaro (29) and catcher Colin Hynek (23) walk off the field during the first inning against the Mississippi Rebels at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

One down, five to go. It takes six wins to win it all and North Carolina moved one win closer by beating the Ole Miss Rebels in a 6-2 victory in their opening game in Omaha. The win keeps the Tar Heels on the Winners side of the upper bracket and puts them in great position to make their third College World Series Final.

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So what helped UNC get this all important win?

DeCaro pitches another gem

The last time Jason DeCaro started for the Tar Heels, he pitched nine innings of shutout ball. Tonight, he didn’t pitch nearly as great but still gave North Carolina another great start. The Junior pitched 6.2 innings striking out nine against three walks. He did allow two runs on five hits, but one of those runs came courtesy of a double that blooped in the sun and the other was actually surrendered by Caden Glauber though DeCaro gave up the hit. Overall, it was a great performance from the UNC ace and just makes the Tar Heels even harder to beat.

The Long Ball makes the difference

North Carolina hit two home runs in this game while Ole Miss did not. The first came off the bat of Owen Hull who continued his dominant postseason with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at one. The RBI was Hull’s 82nd of the season, which puts him third in UNC history. The second came off the bat of Colin Hynek who knocked a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to push a one-run lead into a four run lead and basically seal the deal for the Tar Heels. UNC also went 2 for 5 on RISP which is a good sign after the abysmal RISP they had in the Chapel Hill Super Regional.

Caden Glauber continues to equal winning

North Carolina is undefeated in games in which Glauber pitches and that continued tonight despite Glauber giving up a run in the top of the seventh that gave the Rebels a one run lead. Thankfully the Tar Heels scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh, a sac fly by Jake Schaffner followed by a RBI single from Gavin Gallaher, and Glauber settled down finishing out the game with two strikeouts in 2.1 innings of relief, which included inducing a GIDP in the top of the ninth after he gave up a lead off single.

The Tar Heels next game will be Sunday evening against the West Virginia Mountaineers.

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