Shanna Rose | WV Sports Chat
OMAHA, Neb. – West Virginia’s historic season came to an end Wednesday afternoon as North Carolina built an early lead and held off a late Mountaineer rally for a 12-7 victory at Charles Schwab Field, advancing to the College World Series finals.
It was a season to remember for WVU, which made its first trip to Omaha and advanced to the semifinals.
Gavin Kelly had three hits and two RBIs while Matthew Graveline finished with four hits and a pair of RBIs for the Mountaineers (47-17). Gavin Gallagher and Owen Hull both finished with four hits for the Tar Heels (53-12-1).
Chansen Cole (9-2) took the loss after allowing four runs on four hits and a walk in 2 1/3 innings. Ian Korn relieved him but surrendered six runs on seven hits across 3 1/3 innings as North Carolina built a commanding lead.
UNC jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning after an error and an RBI double by Hull. WVU responded in the bottom of the inning and Matthew Graveline’s RBI single pulled the Mountaineers within 2-1.
In the third, the Tar Heels began the inning with a walk and a base hit before Gallagher’s single to left field drove in a run. Cooper Nicholson then tripled to give UNC a 5-1 lead.
The Tar Heels added three more runs in the fourth and two runs in the sixth to take a 10-1 lead.
Carter French doubled and Jake Schaffner added an RBI single in the seventh to push the Tar Heels’ lead to 12-1. WVU responded in the bottom of the inning when Kelly tripled home Armani Guzman. Paul Schoenfeld followed with an RBI single to trim the deficit to nine. Back-to-back RBI singles from Matt Ineich and Graveline made it 12-5 before Graveline scored on a passed ball to cut the margin to 12-6.
In the eighth, Kelly blasted a solo home run to make it a 12-7 contest. That was as close as the Mountaineers would get.
UNC moves on to face the winner of Georgia and Oklahoma in the finals of the College World Series, while WVU’s season ended with a program-record 47 victories and the school’s deepest postseason run.
Photo credit: WVU Athletics
