OMAHA, Neb. — Freshman left-handed pitcher Jackson Rose will be the starting pitcher for UNC baseball vs. Oklahoma in the 2026 College World Series finale at Charles Schwab Field.
Rose and the Tar Heels (54-13-1) are aiming for their first national championship in program history, with a 7 p.m. ET first pitch on Monday, June 22, against the Sooners (42-23). The rookie from Woodstock, Ga., has one win in the CWS but this will be his first start in Omaha.
Here are three things to know about Rose ahead of the national championship game in the CWS finals.
Jackson Rose stats for UNC baseball in NCAA Tournament, at College World Series
Rose has a 5-0 record and 2.15 ERA across 50 ⅓ innings and 22 appearances. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound southpaw is 2-0 with four appearances in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, including a 1-0 mark in Omaha. Through 12 scoreless innings, Rose has allowed three hits, with three walks and 11 strikeouts. He pitched 4 ⅓ scoreless innings and allowed two hits against West Virginia on June 17 to help the Tar Heels clinch a spot in the CWS finals. Rose hasn’t allowed an earned run since giving up four runs against Georgia Tech on May 24.
Jackson Rose has mainly been a reliever, but he has started for Tar Heels
Jackson Rose has primarily been a reliever for the Tar Heels in his debut season, but he has six midweek starts on his resume. Rose’s start in the winner-take-all game of the CWS finals will be his seventh start of the season and first since May 12 at UNCW. Across his first six starts, Rose didn’t pitch more than five innings and didn’t allow more than two runs, logging 18 strikeouts and 10 walks. His season high in innings is six and his season high in pitches is 82.
Jackson Rose is from Georgia, went to Etowah High School in Woodstock
Jackson Rose, a Georgia native, won a state championship in 2024 at Etowah High School in Woodstock. Ranked as the No. 296 overall prospect in his class and the 32nd-best left-handed pitcher, according to Perfect Game, Rose was a first-team all-state selection in his senior season.
Rodd Baxley covers North Carolina Tar Heels athletics for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding UNC? Send them to rbaxley@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Jackson Rose, UNC baseball pitcher, player to watch vs Oklahoma in CWS
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