North Carolina Shuts Out USC to Stay Alive in Super Regional

The USC Trojans and North Carolina Tar Heels faced on Saturday in game two of the Super Regional in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels won 4-0, led by starting pitcher Jason DeCaro.

USC shocked the favored Tar Heels in game one on Friday and now find themselves tied in the series at 1-1. The game three winner will make it to the College World Series.

usc trojans north carolina tar heels live score updates super regional game two chapel hill betting odds college world series — Jun 5, 2026; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels catcher Colin Hynek (23) reacts after making it to second base against the USC Trojans in the fourth inning at Boshamer Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

It was all about the starting pitching in North Carolina's 4-0 win. Jason DeCaro threw a complete game shutout, only allowing two total hits to keep the Tar Heels' season alive.

They got just enough contributions from their lineup. It started with a home run off the bat of catcher Colin Hynek in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. In the end, that's all that they would need.

USC had just two hits all day, one from first baseman Adrian Lopez and one from shortstop Dean Carpentier. USC now will face elimination on Sunday.

Live Updates

Bottom 9th: USC 0, UNC 4

End of game.

Takeuchi struck out swinging.

Au. Lopez flied out to left.

Ad. Lopez grounded out to second.

Top 9th: USC 0, UNC 4

Nicholson flied out to center.

Howe walked.

Hynek fouled out to first.

Paulsen ground out to pitcher. Hull to third. Winslow to second.

Winslow walked.

Hull to second on wild pitch.

Hull walked.

Bottom 8th: USC 0, UNC 4

Covarrubias flied out to center.

Urbon struck out swinging.

Carpentier struck out looking.

Top 8th: USC 0, UNC 4

Gallaher flied out to center.

Schaffner sacrifice bunt. Nicholson to second.

French fouled out to catcher.

Nicholson singled to left.

Bottom 7th: USC 0, UNC 4

Lamb struck out swinging.

Basseer grounded out to second.

Cadena grounded out to first.

Top 7th: USC 0, UNC 4

Howe grounded into double play.

Hynek walked. Paulsen to second.

Paulsen walked intentionally.

Winslow hit sacrifice fly to right. Gallaher scored. Hull to third.

Hull singled to right. Gallaher to third. Hull to second.

Gallaher walked.

Bottom 6th: USC 0, UNC 3

Takeuchi grounded out to third.

Au. Lopez hit by pitch.

Ad. Lopez flied out to right.

Covarrubias struck out swinging.

Top 6th: USC 0, UNC 3

Schaffner grounded out to second

Kellis sacrifice fly to left. Hynek scored.

Nicholson sacrifice bunt. Hynek to third. Howe to second.

Howe hit by pitch. Hynek to second.

Hynek singled to right.

Paulsen homered to left.

Bottom 5th: USC 0, UNC 1

Urbon struck out swinging.

Carpentier singled to short.

Lamb struck out looking.

Basseer grounded out to pitcher.

Top 5th: USC 0, UNC 1

Winslow grounded into double play.

Hull singled to right. Gallaher to third.

Gallaher singled to short.

Schaffner grounded out to first.

Bottom 4th: USC 0, UNC 1

Cadena grounded out to second.

Takeuchi flied out to center.

Au. Lopez struck out swinging.

Top 4th: USC 0, UNC 1

Kellis struck out swinging.

Nicholson flied out to right.

Howe grounded out to second.

Bottom 3rd: USC 0, UNC 1

Ad. Lopez grounded out to second.

Covarrubias reached first on error.

Urbon grounded out to short.

Carpentier flied out to center.

Top 3rd: USC 0, UNC 1

Hynek struck out swinging.

Paulsen fouls out to third.

Winslow walked. Schaffner to third. Hull to second.

Hull singled to right. Schaffner to second.

Gallaher flied out to right.

Schaffner hit by pitch.

Bottom 2nd: USC 0, UNC 1

Lamb popped out to second.

Basseer caught stealing.

Basseer walked.

Cadena flied out to left.

Top 2nd: USC 0, UNC 1

Kellis flied out to left.

Nicholson hit by pitch.

Howe flied out to left.

Hynek homered to left.

Paulsen flied out to right.

Bottom 1st: USC, UNC 0

Takeuchi fouled out to first.

Au. Lopez popped out to second.

Ad. Lopez singled to left.

Covarrubias grounded out to short.

Top 1st: USC 0, UNC 0

Winslow struck out swinging.

Hull flied out to left.

Gallaher singled to short.

Schaffner flied out to center.

USC-North Carolina Preview

The Trojans entered Saturday’s game with an overall record of 48-16 with a mark of 20-10 in Big Ten conference play. USC made their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance this season, earning the No. 2 seed in the College Station Regional hosted by the top seed in the regional, the Texas A&M Aggies.

After USC lost their opening game in that double-elimination regional, they caught fire. The Trojans won four straight games in three days, beating Lamar, Texas State, and then Texas A&M twice in the regional championship to advance to the Super Regional.

North Carolina is the No. 5 ranked team in the country and came into this Super Regional as the heavy favorite over USC with a record of 48-12-1 and an ACC conference record of 22-8. The Tar Heels are now on the brink of elimination and will have to beat USC in back-to-back games to survive this best-of-three series.

USC is one of the most historic college baseball programs in the country. They have won 12 national championships, with the last one coming in 1998.

From 2016-2024, USC failed to make it to the NCAA Tournment. They have now qualified in two consecutive seasons. Last year, they were knocked out in the opening regional hosted by the Oregon State Beavers in Corvallis.

Now, USC is 27 outs away from getting back to the College World Series for the first time since 2001.

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