Owen Hull continues to deliver in the middle of the UNC baseball program's order.
The junior centerfielder was the hero in the Tar Heels' walk-off win to secure a trip to Omaha, hitting the RBI double in the bottom of the ninth to close out the Chapel Hill Super Regional. While being in Omaha is nice for Hull and the Tar Heels, they don't just want to be there: they want to win the whole thing during their trip.
With UNC's offense struggling to get going in their College World Series opener against Ole Miss on Friday night, it was Hull (to no surprise) who broke the ice for the Tar Heels, poking an opposite field homer to get the guys in Carolina Blue on the board.
The 𝗛𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗰𝘀 continue!! 🎱 ties the game with an oppo slam!! pic.twitter.com/F7RLwTPhC4
— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) June 13, 2026
Hull was the jumpstart the Tar Heels needed, as they eventually rolled to a 6-2 victory. After the game, Hull was asked about his approach at the plate before that at-bat, one that is very simple based on his breakdown.
Owen Hull got the pitch he was looking for and capitalized on it
When you think of hitting, it's something that could be made more complex than it actually is. For Hull, his game plan stayed simple: he got what he was looking for and capitalized on the pitch once he had it.
"First of all, that pitch was really good," Hull said. "The whole Ole Miss team is very good. So we came in with a game plan. And, yeah, we tried to execute every at-bat. I was sitting on the heater. I got one up in the zone, so I put a good swing on it."
Always our spark 🙆♂️ pic.twitter.com/BP7n2grKWf
— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) June 13, 2026
In the sport of baseball, one swing can change the whole trajectory of a game. Before Hull's homer, the Tar Heels simply couldn't get anything going offensively, as the pressure began to build a bit as the game got into the later innings.
Fortunately, Hull, along with his fellow UNC teammates, are never afraid of the moment and don't let the pressure get to them, understanding how baseball is a game of 27 outs. A lot can change with one swing of the bat, and once again, it was Hull who delivered that big swing.
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Once that baseball cleared the left field wall, it felt like a huge weight was lifted off the Tar Heels' shoulders. It not only got them on the board but served as that jumpstart they desperately needed, a swing that played a pivotal role in the Tar Heels' ability to win their 2026 College World Series opener.
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