North Carolina, Oklahoma set for CWS championship
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- North Carolina reached the CWS Finals with a 12-7 win over No. 16 West Virginia on Wednesday, fueled by Owen Hull's 4-for-5 day with four extra-base hits that left him a home run shy of the cycle.
- Oklahoma punched its ticket hours later with an 11-4 rout of No. 3 Georgia, getting two home runs each from Dasan Harris and Jason Walk.
- Oklahoma has mashed 43 of its 91 season home runs over its last 16 games, including round-trippers from six different players since the CWS started.
- North Carolina carries a pitching edge with ace Jason DeCaro and star reliever Caden Glauber heading one of college baseball's most prolific staffs all year.
- Oklahoma turned to freshmen Xander Mercurious and Nick Wesloski in Omaha, who combined for 13 innings, 13 strikeouts, and just four earned runs against the nation's hardest-hitting lineup.
- North Carolina is making its first CWS Finals appearance since 2007-08 and owns the second-most CWS appearances without a title at 13 trips.
- Oklahoma has two national championships but hasn't won one in 32 years and lost the 2022 championship series.
Why it matters: North Carolina arrives with the second-most CWS appearances without a title (13 trips), while Oklahoma's last national championship came 32 years ago — one program's long title drought ends this weekend. Oklahoma's late-season power surge (43 home runs in 16 games) now faces the Tar Heels' staff led by DeCaro and Glauber in a series where both teams enter unbeaten in Omaha.
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