North Carolina defeats Oklahoma in Game 2 of the MCWS finals, forces Game 3 | NCAA.com

Final: North Carolina 6, Oklahoma 2, Game 3 tomorrow

The Tar Heels force a winner-take-all Game 3 on Monday at 7 p.m. ET after taking down the Sooners 6-2 on Sunday afternoon.

It was a similar game to Saturday, just with two different winners, as Oklahoma was held scoreless after the first inning. Yesterday in Game 1, North Carolina drove in three in the first before putting up zeros for the remaining eight innings. The Sooners had two hits over the final eight innings today whereas North Carolina had just three hits over the final eight yesterday after a four-hit first.

Credit must be given to the Tar Heel staff, most notably freshman righty Caden Glauber in relief who handled a previously smoking-hot Sooner offense with eight strikeouts over 5 innings on just one hit — the third reliever in MCWS finals history to record eight or more Ks.

The Sooners offense was held under eight runs for just the second time in 11 NCAA tournament games.

We will be back at Charles Schwab Field tomorrow to crown a 2026 DI baseball national champion. See you then!

North Carolina 6, Oklahoma 2 | End 8th

The Sooners only have three outs to play with if they want to leave Omaha early. Skip Johnson is using his whole staff, calling on two more arms in the eighth inning, using three different relievers for each out of the frame. Jaden Barfield relieved Mason Bixby after a punch out. Bixby issued a walk, tallied a K and then was pulled for Reid Hensley who found the last out. It has been an active bullpen, running through six arms so far — one shy of tying the MCWS finals record.

It is an opposite story for the Tar Heels as Caden Glauber has pitched a gem against the red-hot Sooners lineup, tallying two more Ks in the eighth and facing just six batters over the past two innings.

Fast stats:

North Carolina 6, Oklahoma 2 | End 7th

The Tar Heels add two insurance runs in the seventh as the sun finally makes an appearance over the MCWS finals. The long ball is working for North Carolina as Cooper Nicholson launched a wall-scraper out to left field driving him and Erik Paulsen around the bases. Skip Johnson dipped back into the bullpen for the fourth time today, rolling with righty Mason Bixby to record the final out of the inning.

The Sooners sat down in order for a clean inning for freshman Caden Glauber who has now tossed three frames of one-hit ball.

North Carolina 4, Oklahoma 2 | End 6th

Pitchers prevail in the sixth inning as the sun tries to peak through over Charles Schwab Field. The Sooners have nine outs to play with to try and send the Tar Heels home early. Skip Johnson is not shying away from using his arms, tossing in lefty Nate Smithburg for Jason Bodin in the sixth. Two more arms are active in the Oklahoma pen as Johnson hopes his offense can produce over the final third of Game 2.

UNC's Caden Glauber has navigated two scoreless innings for the Tar Heels, striking out four with just one hit allowed.

North Carolina 4, Oklahoma 2 | End 5th

We entered the bullpens for both teams in the fifth after Owen Hull crushed a leadoff home run deep over the right field wall, giving the Tar Heels a two-run lead in the top of the fifth inning. Right-hander Jason Bodin took over for Xander Mercurius, forcing a double play before walking two-straight batters. But Bodin escaped the inning unblemished, striking out Colin Hynek, stranding Heels on third and first.

Freshman Caden Glauber relieved Ryan Lynch in the middle of the first at-bat after the starter got behind 2-0 in the count and immediately lit a fire in the Carolina faithful under the clouds, striking out the side in order to send the Heels to the sixth inning with a two-run lead.

North Carolina 3, Oklahoma 2 | End 4th

Xander Mercurius and Ryan Lynch each worked through a fast fourth inning for their squads, with Oklahoma's Brendan Brock recording the only hit of the inning off Lynch. Mercurius issued a four-pitch walk to lead off the top of the fourth, but a double play and ground out quickly put an end to any threat.

Lynch struck out two more Sooners, tallying five on the day on just 56 pitches. Skip Johnson is rolling his freshman right-hander back out for the fifth inning with 89 pitches and eight Ks.

North Carolina 3, Oklahoma 2 | End 3rd

After a long third inning, the Tar Heels take control behind a three hit, three run inning, finally getting to OU's Xander Mercurius. Jake Schaffner laced a triple perfectly down the first base line to the back right field corner, driving in two as Carolina blue rose to their feet at Charles Schwab. However, the freshman pitcher showed incredible resilience during the 50-pitch top of the third, striking out the final two batters of the inning with bases loaded behind him.

Carolina's Ryan Lynch navigated another quick inning for Scott Forbes' squad, getting through the top of the Sooner order with a fly out and a ground out after giving Camden Johnson first with a hit by pitch. Lynch got through the second and third inning on just 14 pitches after allowing two runs in the first.

Oklahoma 2, North Carolina 0 | End 2nd

He's a freshman. He's making just his fifth start all season. Yet Xander Mercurius has punched out six Tar Heels through two innings. A leadoff single from UNC's Erik Paulsen made him look human for a moment, but it was short-lived as the Heels quickly stranded Paulsen as Mercurius struck out the next three batters swinging.

On the other side, North Carolina got a much-needed quick inning out of Ryan Lynch who made quick work of the bottom of the Sooner order, with a flyout, strikeout and groundout.

Oklahoma 2, North Carolina 0 | End 1st

As they’ve done all tournament, the Sooners have rounded the bases first for the seventh straight game behind two hits, a walk and a throwing error to take an early lead in Game 2.

On the mound, Oklahoma pitcher Xander Mercurius seems to have carried over the momentum from his career-best start last Monday against Georgia, sitting down the Tar Heels in order in the top of the first. It was the first time this season that the freshman right-hander had struck out the side in order.

North Carolina finds itself in an early hole, needing a win to force Game 3 on Monday.

Fast stats:

A heartfelt Father's Day for UNC's Erik Paulsen

A running tradition of Game 2 for the Men's College World Series is it being played on Father's Day, an cool opportunity to celebrate fathers as as their sons compete on the biggest stage of their young careers.

For North Carolina first baseman Erik Paulsen, it's another chance to honor his late father and Long Island NYPD Detective, Erik Paulsen Sr., who passed away in July 2025 due to Oropharyngeal cancer.

And it's not just him, it was reported that each of Tar Heels' dads are wearing a button to commemorate Paulsen Sr.

Game 2 lineups

Here are the starting lineups for Game 2:

NORTH CAROLINA

OKLAHOMA

The Tar Heels will turn to sophomore right-hander Ryan Lynch, who flexes a 4.20 ERA and 5-4 record on the season. He tossed 4.2 innings against West Virginia earlier in the MCWS, allowing just two runs on five hits. Expect ACC Freshman of the Year Caden Glauber to be ready to go if Lynch gets into trouble in the elimination game. UNC is 28-0 whenever Glauber pitches.

Oklahoma will throw freshman right-hander Xander Mercurius. Although holding a 5.51 ERA and 1-2 record, he's been incredible for the Sooners lately, highlighted by his career-high in innings pitched (7.1) and strikeouts (9) versus Georgia in the MCWS, giving up three runs on six hits.