Carter French Key Part in North Carolina Advancing to CWS

The North Carolina Tar Heels' season was teetering, as they entered the ninth inning of Game 3 in the Super Regionals against the USC Spartans on Sunday afternoon.

However, the Tar Heels rallied and prevailed 4-3 off an Owen Hull game-winning double to center field, sending them to the College World Series, with a matchup against Ole Miss on tap. While Hull will be heralded as the hero, and rightfully so, Carter French was a monumental component in North Carolina being in that position.

June 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels outfielder Owen Hull (8) looks on in the ninth inning against the USC Trojans at Boshamer Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

During the Tar Heels' postgame press conference, French spoke on his hit that sent the game-tying run 90 feet to home plate, jumpstarting North Carolina's comeback.

French's Thoughts

June 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Scott Forbes coaches outfielder Carter French (18) during the ninth inning against the USC Trojans at Boshamer Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

“I was talking to Cam Padgett before the game, just about this is our last game here at the Bosh no matter what, and this is my last time playing baseball with this group,” French said.

“So, I just think that over the years I’ve learned a lot from this sport that you can’t get too high, you can’t get too low, and in that moment, I felt like we were so even keeled, and just we just kept on plugging, and it ended up working in our favor for sure," French continued.

June 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels outfielder Carter French (18) hits the ball during the ninth inning against the USC Trojans at Boshamer Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

French entered the game in the eighth inning and had underwhelmed at the plate all season. However, the pitch count was in his favor, and with this being potentially his last at-bat in a Tar Heel uniform, he felt that he needed to make a play.

“[USC] took the guy out, 3-0 count, and so I just had some time to hang out, and I knew I was going to take regardless of whoever was coming in - the first pitch for sure,” French said.

June 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels outfielder Carter French (18) reacts during the ninth inning against the USC Trojans at Boshamer Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

In relation to that aforementioned pitch count, French revealed what head coach Scott Forbes' advice was prior to him stepping up to the plate.

“Coach Forbes came over, told me to take till two, so I did, and he told me that if you get to that point, you’re going to get a heater,” French said. “I got a heater, and just swung and found a hole through the infield.”

Main Takeaways

June 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Scott Forbes celebrates a win with the coaching staff against the USC Trojans at Boshamer Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

It was an uneven Super Regionals for the Tar Heels, who blew a 5-1 lead in Game 1 in a two-inning collapse where USC scored eight unanswered runs. North Carolina breezed by the Trojans in Game 2, behind Jason DeCaro's complete-game shutout. Sunday was a nerve-racking time in Chapel Hill, as the Tar Heels were less than three outs away from elimination.

Nevertheless, this team continued to battle through adversity and paid off with a trip to the College World Series. Overall, the Tar Heels went through ebbs and flows this past weekend. Now that the Tar Heels have made it out on the other side, they find themselves with another challenge against an underrated Ole Miss team.

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