OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — North Carolina scored early and often Wednesday to defeat West Virginia 12-7 in a playoff game at Charles Schwab Field. The Tar Heels tallied 16 hits and built a commanding lead before the Mountaineers rallied.

Owen Hull doubled in a first-inning run and later stole third and scored on an error. Gavin Gallaher drove in four runs with three singles and a triple. Cooper Nicholson added a two-run triple. North Carolina led 7-1 after four innings and extended the margin to 12-1 by the seventh.

West Virginia scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh, keyed by RBI singles from Matthew Graveline and Michael Ineich and a run on a passed ball. Gavin Kelly homered in the eighth, but the comeback fell short. Kelly had a triple and a home run.

Pitcher Jackson Rose and reliever Caden Glauber combined to keep West Virginia at bay early. Carson Estridge and Ben McDougal worked in relief for the Mountaineers.

North Carolina improved to 53-12-1; West Virginia dropped to 47-17. The Tar Heels won their second straight playoff meeting after beating the Mountaineers 5-2 on June 14.