In a Chapel Hill Regional deemed as the NCAA Tournament’s toughest field, the UNC baseball team escaped virtually unscatched.
North Carolina swept its way through Boshamer Stadium, starting with an 8-0 drubbing of VCU on Friday. The Diamond Heels came back to beat East Carolina on Saturday, 7-5, then won 9-3 Sunday and advanced to host their third-consecutive Super Regional.
Resulting from its dominant run, UNC landed five players on the All-Tournament Team: catcher Colin Hynek, first baseman Erik Paulsen, shortstop Jake Schaffner, center fielder Owen Hull and starting pitcher Ryan Lynch.
Paulsen landed Most Outstanding Player honors, mashing 6-for-12 with six runs batted in and two runs scored. The Stony Brook transfer’s most impactful game came Friday, when he hit twice and drove in three runs.
Hynek’s big moment came Saturday, when his 3-run home run tied North Carolina and ECU at 3-all. This started a string of seven straight runs for the Diamond Heels, who withstood a late charge to beat the Pirates.
Our 5️⃣ on the All-Tournament Team!#GoHeelspic.twitter.com/Fpo2YQWu7c
— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) June 1, 2026
Schaffner continued to prove himself as a valuable leadoff man for UNC, collectively hitting 4-for-11 with four runs, three RBI and three walks. Hull drove in four runs, walked four times, recorded three hits and scored twice. Lynch mowed through VCU’s batting order on Friday, hurling seven innings of 2-hit ball while striking out five Rams.
North Carolina will need each of its All-Regional Team honorees to perform in the Super Regional Round, with USC or Texas A&M awaiting. Expect a packed Boshamer Stadium crowd on hand again, as those fans play a major role in the Diamond Heels’ postseason success.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC baseball: Five stars make All-Tournament Team for NCAA Regional
