Hynek's Three-Run Homer Sparks Tar Heels Past East Carolina, 7-5

Saturday, May 30

Chapel Hill

5 PM

North Carolina

47-11-1

East Carolina

37-23-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
North Carolina	0	0	0	3	1	3	0	0	0	7	10	1
East Carolina	2	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	5	10	0

Jake Schaffner, Carter French
University of North Carolina Baseball v ECU; East Carolina University
NCAA Tournament
Boshamer Stadium
Chapel Hill, NC
Saturday, May 30, 2026

Colin Hynek

Photo by: NATE SKVORETZ

Hynek's Three-Run Homer Sparks Tar Heels Past East Carolina, 7-5

May 30, 2026 | Baseball

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Powered by two explosive offensive innings, North Carolina baseball defeated East Carolina, 7-5, on Saturday night in the winners' bracket of the Chapel Hill Regional. Carolina is now one win away from its 13th Super Regional.

North Carolina (47-11-1, 22-8 ACC) got off to a slower start on offense until Colin Hynek hit a three-run home run to deep center field to tie the ball game up at three apiece. North Carolina moves to 8-1 all-time when playing East Carolina in postseason play.

ECU did not waste any time getting on board. Through the first three innings of play, a Pirate reached base at the leadoff spot. In the bottom of the first, multiple hit balls to the left infield placed multiple Pirates on the pond. A single driven just fair off the first baseline drove in another ECU run to take an early 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Tar Heels struggled to find the strike zone, walking two Pirates. A base hit into shallow left field scored the ECU runner from second base to extend its lead 3-0.

Erik Paulsen singled to left-center field to lead off the top of the fourth to give Carolina a spark. Tyler Howe followed suit and singled towards left field, advancing Paulsen with one out. With the momentum, Head Coach Scott Forbes took an offensive timeout with Hynek. In the following pitch, Hynek tied the contest at three, leaving the yard to deep center field, marking his third home run in the past nine games.

North Carolina continued to hit the gas on offense, starting with a Gavin Gallaher double to deep left field. Owen Hull was then hit by a pitch to put two Tar Heels on base with no outs. Winslow then hit a ball to deep center field to knock in Gallaher from second base, putting Carolina in command with a 4-3 lead. The Tar Heels carried their momentum into the field, turning a double play to end the other side of the inning.

With two Tar Heels aboard, Jake Schaffner doubled to right field, scoring Hynek from second base to extend the North Carolina lead. Gallaher found the sweet spot in left field, batting another double to score Carter French and Jake Schaffner, giving North Carolina a 7-3 advantage and forcing ECU to their fifth pitcher.

With Jason DeCaro exiting after 3.2 innings, true freshman Caden Glauber came out dealing in the bottom of the sixth, striking out three straight, bringing his total up to five strikeouts in just 2.1 innings of work.

East Carolina attempted to claw back in the bottom of the seventh after a Pirate hit a triple down the left field line to score two more runs, bringing the score to 7-5. Even though ECU was able to plate a couple, Glauber came storming back to go three up, three down in the bottom of the eighth.

Reliever Walker McDuffie came in for the final three outs to close out the contest, securing a 7-5 North Carolina victory. North Carolina will face the winner of VCU and East Carolina tomorrow night at 5 p.m. ET. Television designations will be announced following today's NCAA regional games.