Going into Friday’s contest against California in the opening round of the NCAA College World Series, North Carolina knew they would have to shutdown the Golden Bears defensively if they hoped to overcome powerful freshman pitcher Justin Jones.
But once the game started, it didn’t take longer than the first inning for the Tar Heels to realize that Jones would not be an issue.
Once Dillon Hazlett stepped up to the plate at Dale Mitchell Park in Norman, Okla., the Tar Heels would begin a first inning scoring frenzy that ultimately helped them defeat California 12-3 and advance to the second round of the NCAA Regional.
Hazlett homered to the left field, bringing home two teammates and recording three runs for UNC. The Tar Heels would go on to score three more times in the first inning, which caused California to pull Jones from the mound.
The Golden Bears would not go on to score until the third frame, at which point it was far too late. For the remaining innings, North Carolina would continue to score and build upon their lead with a total of 12 hits throughout the game.
By defeating California, UNC advances in the Norman Regional to play No. 1 seed and host Oklahoma on Saturday at 8 p.m. EST. The Sooners defeated No. 4 Oral Roberts 7-6 in 10 innings on Friday afternoon.
With the loss, California now faces elimination and will play Oral Roberts on Saturday afternoon. The winner will advance to play the loser of the North Carolina Oklahoma game on Sunday.
