North Carolina Beats West Virginia 12-7, Reaches First CWS Finals Since 2007

Q: Can MLB prospect Gavin Kelly power underdog West Virginia to a stunning upset in their first CWS?

Yes — Gavin Kelly gives West Virginia a real chance to spring the upset, but he likely cannot do it alone. Kelly has been the Mountaineers’ most dangerous power bat and just showed why in Tuesday’s 12-0 elimination win over Troy, when he hit a three-run homer and finished with four RBIs. He now has 18 home runs and is the team’s RBI leader, making him the clearest candidate to change a game with one swing. As an MLB Draft prospect, he is exactly the kind of player who can carry an underdog for stretches in Omaha. But the challenge is steep. West Virginia must beat North Carolina twice, while the Tar Heels need only one win to reach their first national championship series since 2007. North Carolina also has a deeper pitching staff and already beat the Mountaineers 5-2 on Sunday. The Tar Heels’ decision to start Folger Boaz while keeping key bullpen arm Caden Glauber available underscores that depth. For West Virginia to pull it off in its first College World Series, Kelly’s power must be paired with pressure from Armani Guzman, whose speed and on-base ability can create scoring chances and disrupt North Carolina’s defense. The Mountaineers also need a strong pitching plan, whether that comes from Chansen Cole, Ian Korn or a bullpen mix. Kelly can absolutely be the centerpiece of a stunning upset. To finish it, West Virginia will need its star catcher to stay hot and the rest of the roster to match him.

3 articles · Updated · KSR · Jun 18

North Carolina punched its ticket to the national championship series with a 12-7 win over West Virginia, erupting for 12 runs on 16 hits after scoring fewer total runs in its first two Omaha games.
A Wednesday lineup shuffle drove the breakout: Owen Hull moved up to No. 2 and Gavin Gallaher slid to third to better attack right-handed pitching, and the pair combined to go 8-for-10 with six RBIs.
The top of UNC’s order overwhelmed West Virginia, with the first four hitters finishing 12-for-18 with eight RBIs and reaching base at a .700 clip.
Lower in the lineup, Erik Paulsen answered a move up the order by going 3-for-5 with an RBI, while Carter French went 2-for-5 and lifted his NCAA Tournament average to .333.
The victory sends the Tar Heels to their first College World Series finals since 2007 and leaves them two wins from the program’s first national championship.