Carolina baseball squanders lead, loses Game 1 to USC

USC defeated North Carolina 9-5 in Game 1 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional on June 5, 2026, scoring eight unanswered runs to overcome a 2-0 Carolina lead. A grand slam by USC infielder Dean Carpentier in the sixth inning was a key moment in the Trojans' comeback. The loss puts the Tar Heels on the brink of NCAA Tournament elimination, needing to win back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday to advance.