University of North Carolina Athletics
Sunday, May 31
Chapel Hill
5 PM
North Carolina
48-11-1
9
vs
3
East Carolina
38-24-1
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Carolina | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 2 |
| North Carolina | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | X | 9 | 9 | 0 |
Photo by: ISABEL O. SWINDALL
Tar Heels Advance To 13th Super Regional After Downing ECU, 9-3
May 31, 2026 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – In game six of the Chapel Hill Regional, No. 5 North Carolina came away with a slugging, 9-3 win over in-state foe East Carolina on Sunday night with its third victory in three days. North Carolina will advance to the program's 13th Super Regional, and just two wins away from its 13th College World Series appearance.Â
The Tar Heels (48-11-1, 22-8) ran past the Pirates after an explosive first three innings of play. Owen Hull highlighted the Tar Heel offense early, recording three RBIs to the box score with just a single hit.Â
Starting pitcher Folger Boaz wasted no time on the bump striking out two of the four batters he faced in the top of the first inning. The Tar Heels fed off of that energy and loaded the bases with just one out on the board. Cooper Nicholson singled to the shortstop and reached first base after a Pirate error scoring Gavin Gallaher. Tyler Howe followed suit and scored Hull to give Carolina an early 2-0 edge at the end of the first.
The offense did not stop in the first as the Tar Heels were patient at the plate earning a few walks and hit by pitches to put Rom Kellis and Jake Schaffner in scoring position. A single down the right side by Erik Paulsen scored two more Tar Heels to extend the lead, 5-0.Â
A few Pirate hits attempted to spark the offense and scratched the board with a solo shot homerun, but the North Carolina defense held strong, recording multiple double plays throughout the contest to shut down the Pirates.
The Tar Heels responded with three more runs in the bottom of the third after two North Carolina batters were hit by pitches. Hull drove in two runs on his single up the middle and Macon Winslow drew in another on a sacrifice fly ball to broaden the Tar Heel lead to 8-1. Â
East Carolina found some of success in the top of the fifth inning with four hits and two runs cutting the North Carolina lead to 8-3.Â
Relief pitcher Jackson Rose entered the game at the top of the sixth after performances from Boaz and Walker McDuffie and retired the first three batters he faced. Rose went on to strike out two more Pirates at the top of the seventh inning.Â
The bats came alive again for the Tar Heels in the bottom of the seventh with a double from Schaffner that plated Colin Hynek from second base scoring the ninth North Carolina run. The East Carolina bullpen continued to struggle to find the sweet spot on the bump, experimenting with four different pitchers throughout the game.Â
The North Carolina defense held firm in the final four innings, blanking the Pirates. Carolina's season continues as the Tar Heels advance to their third straight Super Regional and their 13th overall.
UNC led the way with five All-Tournament Team selections featuring the Most Outstanding Player honoree, Erik Paulsen. As voted by the media, the team features Paulsen, Colin Hynek, Jake Schaffner, Owen Hull, and Ryan Lynch.Â
Hynek provided consistency behind the plate while sparking the Tar Heel offense in the batters box. The catcher recorded a three-run homer in Carolina's win over ECU in their second game of the weekend. Schaffner played a key role in Carolina's dominant offensive performance through regionals, providing four runs and 3 RBI. Hull had an impressive day at the plate in the Regional Final against ECU. The junior notched 3 RBI, one hit, and a run for the Tar Heels. In Carolina's regional opening win over VCU, Lynch pitched a gem. He threw a career-high 108 pitches while recording five strikeouts through seven innings of work.Â
After a standout weekend, Paulsen was voted MOP. The New York native racked up two runs, six hits, and 6Â RBI through 12 at bats this weekend. Defensively, Paulsen contributed 29 putouts at first base.
The Tar Heels will go head-to-head next weekend with the winner of the College Station Regional in Chapel Hill, with a trip to Omaha for the Men's College World Series on the line. Dates and times for next week's games will be announced by the NCAA in the coming days.
2026 Chapel Hill Regional All-Tournament Team
Catcher - Colin Hynek, North Carolina
First Base - Erik Paulsen, North Carolina
Second Base - Barden Burress, ECU
Third Base - Nate Kirkpatrick, VCU
Shortstop - Jake Schaffner, North Carolina
Left Field - Jeff Sabater, ECU
Center Field - Owen Hull, North Carolina
Right Field - Reese Chapman, Tennessee
DH - Michael Kalinich, ECU
Pitcher - Ryan Lynch, North Carolina
Pitcher - Elias Holbert, VCU
MOP - Erik Paulsen, North Carolina
The Tar Heels (48-11-1, 22-8) ran past the Pirates after an explosive first three innings of play. Owen Hull highlighted the Tar Heel offense early, recording three RBIs to the box score with just a single hit.Â
Starting pitcher Folger Boaz wasted no time on the bump striking out two of the four batters he faced in the top of the first inning. The Tar Heels fed off of that energy and loaded the bases with just one out on the board. Cooper Nicholson singled to the shortstop and reached first base after a Pirate error scoring Gavin Gallaher. Tyler Howe followed suit and scored Hull to give Carolina an early 2-0 edge at the end of the first.
The offense did not stop in the first as the Tar Heels were patient at the plate earning a few walks and hit by pitches to put Rom Kellis and Jake Schaffner in scoring position. A single down the right side by Erik Paulsen scored two more Tar Heels to extend the lead, 5-0.Â
A few Pirate hits attempted to spark the offense and scratched the board with a solo shot homerun, but the North Carolina defense held strong, recording multiple double plays throughout the contest to shut down the Pirates.
The Tar Heels responded with three more runs in the bottom of the third after two North Carolina batters were hit by pitches. Hull drove in two runs on his single up the middle and Macon Winslow drew in another on a sacrifice fly ball to broaden the Tar Heel lead to 8-1. Â
East Carolina found some of success in the top of the fifth inning with four hits and two runs cutting the North Carolina lead to 8-3.Â
Relief pitcher Jackson Rose entered the game at the top of the sixth after performances from Boaz and Walker McDuffie and retired the first three batters he faced. Rose went on to strike out two more Pirates at the top of the seventh inning.Â
The bats came alive again for the Tar Heels in the bottom of the seventh with a double from Schaffner that plated Colin Hynek from second base scoring the ninth North Carolina run. The East Carolina bullpen continued to struggle to find the sweet spot on the bump, experimenting with four different pitchers throughout the game.Â
The North Carolina defense held firm in the final four innings, blanking the Pirates. Carolina's season continues as the Tar Heels advance to their third straight Super Regional and their 13th overall.
UNC led the way with five All-Tournament Team selections featuring the Most Outstanding Player honoree, Erik Paulsen. As voted by the media, the team features Paulsen, Colin Hynek, Jake Schaffner, Owen Hull, and Ryan Lynch.Â
Hynek provided consistency behind the plate while sparking the Tar Heel offense in the batters box. The catcher recorded a three-run homer in Carolina's win over ECU in their second game of the weekend. Schaffner played a key role in Carolina's dominant offensive performance through regionals, providing four runs and 3 RBI. Hull had an impressive day at the plate in the Regional Final against ECU. The junior notched 3 RBI, one hit, and a run for the Tar Heels. In Carolina's regional opening win over VCU, Lynch pitched a gem. He threw a career-high 108 pitches while recording five strikeouts through seven innings of work.Â
After a standout weekend, Paulsen was voted MOP. The New York native racked up two runs, six hits, and 6Â RBI through 12 at bats this weekend. Defensively, Paulsen contributed 29 putouts at first base.
The Tar Heels will go head-to-head next weekend with the winner of the College Station Regional in Chapel Hill, with a trip to Omaha for the Men's College World Series on the line. Dates and times for next week's games will be announced by the NCAA in the coming days.
2026 Chapel Hill Regional All-Tournament Team
Catcher - Colin Hynek, North Carolina
First Base - Erik Paulsen, North Carolina
Second Base - Barden Burress, ECU
Third Base - Nate Kirkpatrick, VCU
Shortstop - Jake Schaffner, North Carolina
Left Field - Jeff Sabater, ECU
Center Field - Owen Hull, North Carolina
Right Field - Reese Chapman, Tennessee
DH - Michael Kalinich, ECU
Pitcher - Ryan Lynch, North Carolina
Pitcher - Elias Holbert, VCU
MOP - Erik Paulsen, North Carolina
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rose, Jackson (4-0)
L: Towers, Ryan (7-4)
Batting:
2B: Kalinich, Michael 1
HR: Lenahan, Grady 1
RBI: Kalinich, Michael 1 ; Lenahan, Grady 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Barron, Walker 1 ; Lenahan, Grady 2
Batting:
2B: Schaffner, Jake 1 ; Paulsen, Erik 1
RBI: Schaffner, Jake 1 ; Winslow, Macon 1 ; Hull, Owen 3 ; Howe, Tyler 1 ; Paulsen, Erik 2
SH: French, Carter 1
SF: Winslow, Macon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Schaffner, Jake 2 ; Gallaher, Gavin 3 ; Hull, Owen 1 ; Hynek, Colin 1 ; Kellis V, Rom 2
SB: Paulsen, Erik 1
HBP: Gallaher, Gavin 1 ; Hull, Owen 1 ; Kellis V, Rom 1
Players Mentioned
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/ BaseballUNC Baseball: Tar Heels Knock Off ECU, 9-3, to Advance to Super Regionals
Monday, June 01
UNC Baseball: Chapel Hill Regional - Post-ECU Press Conference - May 31, 2026
Sunday, May 31
BASE: Tar Heels Knock Off ECU, 9-3, to Advance to Super Regionals
Sunday, May 31
UNC Baseball: Hynek, Glauber Push Tar Heels Past ECU, 7-5
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