Chapel Hill, NC – The Boshamer Stadium faithful arrived expecting a pitcher’s duel, but the No. 5 national seed North Carolina Tar Heels had other plans. In a stunning display of offensive firepower, UNC ambushed Oklahoma’s ace Kyson Witherspoon for six runs in the first inning, cruising to an 11-5 victory over the No. 2 seed Sooners in the winners’ bracket of the 2025 NCAA Chapel Hill Regional. With a trip to the regional final secured, the Tar Heels are one win away from hosting another Super Regional and keeping their Omaha dreams alive.
The game, delayed by rain and rescheduled to a 7:36 p.m. start, began with a jolt of “Bosh Magic.” Facing Witherspoon, a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist with a 2.47 ERA and 120 strikeouts, UNC’s bats erupted. Center fielder Kane Kepley reached on a leadoff error by Oklahoma third baseman Dawson Willis, igniting a two-out rally that sent nine Tar Heels to the plate. Five hits later, including a three-run homer from designated hitter Sam Angelo, UNC led 6-0 before Witherspoon could catch his breath. The six unearned runs were the most the Sooners’ ace had allowed in a single game all season.
UNC’s freshman sensation Jason DeCaro took the mound and matched the offense’s intensity. The Long Island native, unfazed by the stakes, pitched with the poise of a veteran, scattering seven hits over 6.2 innings while allowing just three runs. His ability to strand runners—Oklahoma left 10 on base—kept the Sooners at bay.
The Tar Heels (44-12) didn’t let up. They tagged Witherspoon for three more runs in the fourth, chasing the right-hander after nine runs (six unearned) on 10 hits. UNC’s 13-for-36 (.361) performance at the plate included three home runs, with Angelo, Luke Stevenson, and Vance Honeycutt going deep. Honeycutt, the ACC’s home run leader with 19, added a solo shot in the sixth. The Tar Heels thrived in clutch spots, going 7-for-8 in leadoff situations and 8-for-15 with two outs.
Oklahoma (36-21), fresh off a 7-4 win over Nebraska, showed fight. Easton Carmichael, their .321-hitting star, went 2-for-4 with a stolen base, and the Sooners rallied for three runs in the seventh. But UNC’s bullpen, led by closer Dalton Pence, slammed the door. Pence navigated a bases-loaded jam in the seventh and pitched a clean eighth, ensuring Oklahoma’s comeback hopes fizzled.
For Oklahoma, the loss stings. Coach Skip Johnson’s decision to save Witherspoon for UNC backfired, and the Sooners now face Nebraska in a noon elimination game on Sunday. Despite 12 hits, Oklahoma’s offense couldn’t overcome the early deficit, and their defense faltered with three errors.
UNC, now 2-0 in the regional, awaits the Oklahoma-Nebraska winner in Sunday’s 6 p.m. final, needing just one victory to advance. With a 36-9 home regional record and a pitching staff boasting a 3.42 ERA (fourth nationally), the Tar Heels are peaking at the right time. After their 4-0 shutout of Holy Cross on Friday, where Jake Knapp threw 8.1 scoreless innings, UNC’s blend of veteran savvy and youthful exuberance has them looking like a College World Series contender.
Next Up: UNC faces the Oklahoma-Nebraska winner Sunday at 6 p.m. (ESPN+), while Oklahoma and Nebraska battle at noon in an elimination game.