North Carolina kept its season alive Sunday night with a 6-2 victory over Oklahoma in Game 2 of the Men’s College World Series finals, evening the best-of-three championship series at one game apiece.
The Tar Heels responded after dropping Game 1 and forced a winner-take-all Game 3 on Monday night in Omaha.
Oklahoma jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, but North Carolina quickly settled in and took control of the game. The Tar Heels broke through in the third inning, scoring three runs to move in front and never relinquished the lead.
North Carolina added insurance throughout the middle innings, including a pair of home runs that helped create separation. The Tar Heels finished with six runs while limiting one of the hottest offenses in the postseason.
Oklahoma struggled to generate offense after its strong start. The Sooners managed just four hits on the night and were held scoreless over the final eight innings. It marked one of their lowest offensive outputs of the NCAA Tournament and snapped a stretch of dominant performances at the plate.
North Carolina’s pitching staff delivered a strong effort, combining to keep Oklahoma off balance throughout the evening and preserve the victory.
With the series now tied, the national championship will be decided Monday night as both programs look to capture a College World Series title.
