Panic does not exist on the USC baseball team.
Down 5-1 after five innings to fifth-seeded North Carolina, the Trojans used a grand slam from Dean Carpentier to spark a 9-5 comeback victory Friday in the first game of the Chapel Hill Super Regional.
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The Trojans are rolling with a significant amount of momentum. After losing the opening game of the College Station Regional, USC stared down the threat of elimination and racked up four consecutive wins by a composite score of 55-14 to advance to its first super regional in 21 years.
USC (48-16) is now in the driver’s seat of the best-of-three series as it seeks its first College World Series berth since 2001. Game 2 is at 11 a.m. PDT Saturday. If necessary, Game 3 will be Sunday at a time to be determined.
Tar Heels starter Ryan Lynch had been cruising, surrendering just one run and three hits through five innings while staked to a four-run lead. In the sixth, the Trojans got consecutive singles from Adrian Lopez, Augie Lopez and Kevin Takeuchi to make it a 5-2 game. Lynch got a groundout and a strikeout before the sophomore right-hander gave way to Walker McDuffie out of the bullpen.
After Andrew Lamb walked to load the bases, Carpentier stepped in. The Huntington Beach High product grooved a one-strike slider over the fence in left field for his fourth homer of the season, his first career grand slam and USC’s first lead of the game.
The Lopezes, no relation, got it started again in the sixth. Adrian Lopez doubled and Augie Lopez singled, followed by a Takeuchi walk. USC then got an RBI groundout from Isaac Cadena, a run-scoring fielder’s choice that didn’t produce an out from Jack Basseer and a picture-perfect sacrifice bunt from Lamb to boost the lead to 9-5.
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USC sophomore right-hander Andrew Johnson, from Capistrano Valley Christian High, iced North Carolina over the final 3⅔ innings, allowing no runs and just two hits.
Trojans starter Mason Edwards didn’t have his best stuff on Friday. The USC ace got through a shaky first inning in which North Carolina led off with a walk, a single and a walk to load the bases, only for the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year to set down the next three batters swinging.
North Carolina (48-12-1) broke through in the second inning. After a single and a walk to open the frame, one out later Jake Schaffner delivered an RBI single to right and Gavin Gallaher followed with a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead.
Lamb cut USC’s deficit lead in half with a solo leadoff homer in the third, only for the Tar Heels to tack on two more runs courtesy of an Erik Paulsen double and an error by Edwards.
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