Updated

Updated · 247Sports · Jun 12

UNC Names Jason DeCaro Game 1 Starter for CWS Opener vs Ole Miss After 11-2 Season

Updated

Updated · 247Sports · Jun 12

UNC Names Jason DeCaro Game 1 Starter for CWS Opener vs Ole Miss After 11-2 Season

Q: Against an experienced Ole Miss team they've never beaten, can North Carolina finally break its CWS opening game struggles?

Yes — North Carolina did break its College World Series opening-game struggles, beating Ole Miss 6-2 on Friday night in Omaha. That result mattered on two fronts. UNC entered the game with a 5-7 record in CWS openers and an 0-4 all-time NCAA Tournament mark against Ole Miss, so the win ended both patterns at once. It also validated Scott Forbes’ aggressive approach of treating Game 1 as the biggest moment, with no thought of saving arms for later. Jason DeCaro gave North Carolina a strong start after being restored to the Friday role. He had entered Omaha at 11-2 with a 2.28 ERA and was coming off a complete-game shutout of USC in the super regional. UNC then leaned into its pitching depth, and Caden Glauber ultimately got the win, reflecting the staff-management plan Forbes outlined before the opener. North Carolina’s offense answered after falling behind twice. The Tar Heels trailed 1-0 and later 2-1 before rallying with Owen Hull’s sixth-inning homer, Gavin Gallaher’s go-ahead hit in the seventh, and Colin Hynek’s three-run homer in the eighth. That late surge was significant against an Ole Miss club with real Omaha pedigree, including its 2022 national title under Mike Bianco. So the answer is no longer theoretical: against an experienced Ole Miss team they had never beaten in NCAA Tournament play, the Tar Heels finally got the CWS opening win that had often eluded them.

Q: After being benched, can pitcher Jason DeCaro prove his coach right on college baseball's biggest stage?

Yes — DeCaro has a strong chance to justify Scott Forbes’ decision, and the evidence already points that way. The “benched” label needs context. DeCaro was not removed from the rotation because he lacked ability; Forbes bypassed him in the NCAA Regional and Super Regional openers after some inefficient recent outings, then turned back to him for Omaha because he remains one of North Carolina’s most accomplished arms. DeCaro entered the College World Series at 11-2 with a 2.28 ERA, 84 strikeouts in 87 innings, and prior CWS experience from 2024. More importantly, he answered the earlier demotion with his best outing of the season: a complete-game, two-hit shutout against USC in the Super Regional, striking out eight and saving UNC’s season. That performance is the clearest proof that Forbes’ trust was not misplaced. In the College World Series opener against Ole Miss, DeCaro again delivered on the biggest stage. He worked 6.2 innings, allowed two runs on five hits, struck out nine, and helped set up North Carolina’s 6-2 win. Even though Forbes used his aggressive, quick-hook approach and went to the bullpen in the seventh, the strategy worked exactly as intended: UNC got the opener, stayed in the winners’ bracket, and protected its pitching options. So the answer is yes. DeCaro proved he belonged back in the ace role, and Forbes’ decision to restore him for Game 1 was validated by both the performance and the result.

3 articles · Updated · 247Sports · Jun 12

Jason DeCaro will start Friday's 7 p.m. College World Series opener for North Carolina against Ole Miss, returning to the mound for his first outing since a complete-game, two-hit shutout of USC.
The right-hander brings an 11-2 record and 2.28 ERA after serving as UNC's regular Friday starter, even though coach Scott Forbes had opened both the Regional and Super Regional with Ryan Lynch.
Forbes said UNC will manage the game aggressively at Charles Schwab Field, with another starter ready and quick hooks possible for pitchers, hitters and runners.
That approach reflects the value of winning the opener in Omaha, where the next-day break can preserve pitching depth and shape the Tar Heels' path deeper into the bracket.