By ERIC OLSON AP Sports Writer
OMAHA, Neb. — Oklahoma capitalized on North Carolina’s uncharacteristic pitching struggles and got another clutch performance from LJ Mercurius out of the bullpen on its way to a 13-2 victory in the winner-take-all Game 3 of the College World Series finals on Monday night, completing an improbable run to its first national championship since 1994.
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The Sooners (43-23) won the Southeastern Conference’s seventh consecutive title after finishing 11th in the regular season and entering the NCAA Tournament off losses in seven of nine games.
North Carolina (54-14-1) was the runner-up for the third time since 2006 and now has 13 CWS appearances without a title. Only Florida State (24) has more without winning it all.
The Sooners were back in top form offensively after managing only four singles in a 6-2 loss in Game 2 and handed the Tar Heels their most lopsided loss of the season.
Kyle Branch, the No. 9 batter who came into the game 1 of 16 (.063) in the CWS, drove in six runs with a pair of singles and home run. He joined Dayton Tockey as the seventh and eighth OU players to homer in Omaha. Jaxon Willits had three hits, reached base five times and finished the CWS 13 for 25 (.520).
The pitching matchup of Carolina’s Jackson Rose (5-1) and Oklahoma’s Nick Wesloski was the first between freshmen in a CWS winner-take-all game since 1993. Neither got out of the third inning.
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Mercurius (7-7) turned in another strong performance, shutting down a threat when OU led 3-1 in the third and holding the Tar Heels to one run in 5-2/3 innings. He allowed just two runs in 12-1/3 over four CWS appearances.
The Tar Heels’ pitching staff, which had the best ERA in the Atlantic Coast Conference, had been good and occasionally great in the CWS. It was neither Monday, with eight pitchers combining to allow 14 hits, issue eight walks, throw three wild pitches and hit a batter.
ACC Freshman of the Year Caden Glauber, who had given up just one run in 10-1/3 innings in four CWS appearances, was called on for a fifth one day after he threw 65 pitches in five shutout innings. It was apparent coach Scott Forbes went to the well one time too many.
Glauber was called for a clock violation before he even threw his first pitch. He issued a four-pitch, bases-loaded walk and Willits followed with a two-run single to make it 6-1 in the fourth. That was all for Glauber, who threw seven pitches, five of them balls. The Tar Heels had won all 29 games in which Glauber had pitched before Monday.
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More to come on this story.