College World Series 2026 Predictions and Top Prospects in Bracket Finals Game 2

We've reached the final round of the 2026 College World Series tournament, and we may have reached the final game, too. Oklahoma took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series on Saturday night with a 9-3 victory over fifth-ranked North Carolina.

The Sooners broke a 3-3 tie in the fourth with a four-run inning that put them ahead for good. They doubled UNC in hits with 14 and closed things out with 11 strikeouts on the evening.

The win leaves Oklahoma just one victory away from its third national championship and first since 1994. The Sooners will look to get it on Sunday afternoon, while North Carolina will be desperate to force a Game 3.

CWS Championship Series, Game 2

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Who: No. 5 North Carolina vs. Oklahoma

Where: Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska

When: Sunday, June 21

Time: 2:30 p.m. ET

*A look at the complete CWS bracket can be found at NCAA.com

MLB Prospect to Watch

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Ryan Lynch

Jason DeCaro started for North Carolina on Saturday, which almost certainly means we'll see Ryan Lynch on the mound for UNC on Sunday. Of the two pitching prospects, Lynch might have more MLB potential.

DeCaro got the nod over Lynch in the top-10 CWS prospects list compiled by Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter. However, Lynch has the higher ranking on MLB.com's list of overall 2026 draft prospects. He's the 97th-ranked prospect and the highest-rated pitcher left in the tournament.

"Lynch is a comparable talent with more extension and a better breaking ball, so it seems like teams slightly prefer him going forward," ESPN's Kiley McDaniel recently wrote. "I think both go by the third round."

North Carolina shortstop Jake Schaffner is the highest-rated prospect from either remaining team on MLB's list, while UNC outfielder Owen Hull is tops on Reuter's list.

"Hull has an unorthodox swing, but his bat-to-ball skills and some untapped power in his 6'4", 215-pound frame potentially give him more upside to unlock once he reaches pro ball," Reuter wrote.

North Carolina may appear to have a sizeable edge in MLB talent, but that doesn't mean Oklahoma's roster is devoid of it. According to McDaniel, Sooners catcher and outfielder Brendan Brock has some intriguing pro upside as well.

"Brock is a plus to plus-plus runner and solid enough catcher, but could fit better in the outfield as a pro to let his above-average power develop with limited development distractions," McDaniel wrote.

North Carolina infielder Gavin Gallaher, Oklahoma third baseman Camden Johnson, and Oklahoma shortstop Jaxon Willits are other prospects worth tracking on Sunday.

Preview and Prediction

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Jake Schaffner

With DeCaro and Oklahoma's Cord Rager getting the starts on Saturday, we're very likely to see a pitching battle between Lynch and Oklahoma's Xander Mercurius.

Lynch might be the more highly touted prospect, but Mercurius has been fantastic during the tournament. His most impressive performance, a nine-strikeout, three-run outing that went just over seven innings, came against Georgia in their first of two matchups.

Mercurius should be able to hang with Lynch, and his brother and reliever LJ Mercurius will give Oklahoma some punch in the late game. As the Sooners have already proven in Omaha, they have the pitching and the offensive firepower to close out a team like North Carolina.

However, UNC is desperate, and has a fantastic bullpen, led by Caden Glauber. It also has typically boasted a terrific hitting rotation, led by Hull, who was 7-of-13 in Omaha before a disappointing outing on Saturday.

"I don't really have a word to describe Owen Hull," Schaffner said, per Noah Weiskopf of 247Sports. "He's unlike anyone I've ever seen before.

Oklahoma may win the series, but the prediction here is that UNC evens things up on Sunday and forces a Game 3 on Monday (7 p.m. ET on ESPN, if necessary).

Prediction: North Carolina 6, Oklahoma 4