For the second straight year, North Carolina had to watch Oregon State celebrate the NCAA baseball championship. Unlike last year though, the Tar Heels were never in this series. There are no "what ifs" this time around. Oregon State won it, and they won it easily.
Oregon State, a team that was only 10-14 in the Pac-10 and not a guarantee to even make the tournament, somehow became world beaters when it counted. This well-coached, fundamentally-sound team with good pitching put together a 10-game postseason win streak to sit atop the college baseball world for the second straight year.
They trailed in just one inning in going 5-0 in Omaha and how about this -- they are the first NCAA champion with a losing conference record.
Carolina was never in this series. They were outscored 20-7 including 9-3 in game two. They made costly errors both mental and physical and they left far, far too many runners in scoring position. Clutch hits for Carolina were as rare as a snowy day in July. All postseason, the Heels were having to come from behind. That can be as dangerous as a dog at the meat counter and it finally bit the Tar Heels hard.
Carolina threw its best pitchers at the Beavers Sunday night -- Putkonen, Carignan, Wooten and Woodard. All four were all roughed up. Nothing worked.
It was a great season for Carolina, which can't be taken away -- a school-record 57 wins, the ACC championship and its second straight trip to the College World Series, but they couldn't get it done again in the championship series.
No matter what spin is put on that, it has to hurt badly. You saw it in the players' faces and heard it in their voices.
I thought coming in UNC had better talent than Oregon State and they may have. They just didn't have a better team.
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