Just like in the super regional, North Carolina is down 1-0 after a 9-3 loss to Oklahoma in the College World Series finals, and a big decision has been made.
Head coach Scott Forbes announced that Ryan Lynch will start Game 2 of the College World Series on Sunday, a must-win for UNC to stay alive and force a Game 3 on Monday.
In Game 1, UNC starter Jason DeCaro gave up seven runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. Forbes credited DeCaro for walking just one Oklahoma batter but noted that the Sooners punished his mistakes.
“I also know that our guy tomorrow, Ryan Lynch, could equalize that in a heartbeat,” Forbes said Saturday. “And I feel good about putting him out there.”
Lynch was the Tar Heels’ No. 2 starter behind DeCaro in the regular season. But in the Chapel Hill Regional and super regional, Forbes turned to Lynch as his opening starter. Once UNC got to Omaha, Forbes reverted to the DeCaro-Lynch order.
In Lynch’s last outing, against West Virginia, he threw 4.3 innings, allowing five hits and two runs while striking out two.
In 94.1 innings this season, Lynch has a 4.20 ERA and a 5-4 record.
Reliever Walker McDuffie threw 34 pitches in Saturday’s Game 1 loss, likely meaning freshman right-hander Caden Glauber will come in behind Lynch on Sunday.
“Absolutely,” Forbes said when asked about using Glauber. “Yeah. I mean, it’s all hands on deck, even though it’s a weekend series … and obviously we have no choice but to go for it tomorrow. Everybody is going to be well rested. And Lynch will get us going and we’ll go from there. But he will be ready to pitch.”
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC baseball: Tar Heels turn to Ryan Lynch for a must-win game
