OMAHA, Neb. – Oklahoma Baseball (43-23) completed one of the most remarkable postseason runs in college baseball, capturing its third national title with a resounding 13-2 victory against No. 5 North Carolina (54-14-1) in a winner-take-all College World Series championship game before a crowd of 23,248 Monday night at Charles Schwab Field.

Playing in their 12th CWS and making their fourth championship appearance, the Sooners add to previous national titles won in 1951 and 1994.

Sophomore second baseman Kyle Branch and junior shortstop Jaxon Willits led the way by going 3-for-4 at the plate respectively.

Branch had a career-high six RBIs, punctuated with a three-run homer to left field in his final at-bat. Named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, Willits had two RBIs and reached base five times while finishing with a school record 13 hits in the CWS.

Senior first baseman Dayton Tockey, junior designated hitter Brendan Brock and junior right fielder Dasan Harris added two hits each to the Sooners' 14-hit attack.

"Kyle and Jaxon were incredible," said OU coach Skip Johnson, who is now 8-3 in two CWS appearances, the other coming in 2022. "We took the momentum over early, and we made some great plays defensively and got some big hits. These guys were separating balls from strikes, staying in their routines, the thing we talk about, pitch to pitch, and getting some big hits."

Junior righthander LJ Mercurius (7-7) came on in relief with one out in the third inning and earned the victory by scattering four hits, allowing one run and striking out five in 5.2 innings on 79 pitches.

"I think when I was coming into the game, the mindset was always the same," Mercurius said. "Take my deep breath, finish my breath and just execute a pitch. And I knew if I did that, we'll be able to get out of the inning. But really, I think the biggest thing coming out of that bullpen is Skip's a genius. I listen to Skip and whatever Skip says, I'm going to do. Simple as that. … When I started to appreciate it and really settle into listening and taking that breath, my game changed, and it shows. So I think whatever Skip says, you better frickin' listen, yeah."

The Sooners started the season hot and finished even hotter while eliminating the nation's elite.

"I think we knew that the talent was always in the room," Willits said. "And that's something that Skip and all the coaches preached to us from day one in the fall, is that this group of guys is special. Whether we were playing well or not, we believed that we had the talent in the room to go out and win a national championship."

On championship night OU spread its offense across 11 singles, one double and two homers.

With the game well in hand, Branch hit a home run in his final at-bat of the season just as his older brother, Georgia shortstop Kolby, did in his final at-bat in an 11-4 loss to OU on Wednesday.

Rewinding to the opening pitch, Wesloski made just his third start of the season Monday, all coming in the NCAA Tournament. He went 2.1 innings, allowing five hits and one run before giving way to Mercurius with OU leading 3-1.

The Sooners jumped on UNC lefty starter Jackson Rose for five hits in the first two innings.

Branch had an RBI single to right for his second hit of the CWS, knocking in Harris for a 1-0 lead in the second. Tockey reached on a single to center and pushed the lead to 2-0 by scoring on a wild pitch.

The OU defense came up massive in the bottom of the inning, keeping the momentum with the Sooners. With runners at first and second, Rom Kelis flared a base hit to right but Harris rifled a throw to third base to get Carter French out at third base before lead runner Erik Paulsen could score.

Brock gave OU a 3-0 lead in the third with a line-drive single to center off heralded reliever Walker McDuffie to score Willits, who had doubled to the left-field corner.

McDuffie was pulled with one out in the fourth inning and replaced by ACC Freshman of the Year Caden Glauber. The Tar Heels were 29-0 in games Glauber pitched – until Monday night.

Willits rapped his third hit of the game with a line drive to right against Glauber that scored Walk and Camden Johnson to give the Sooners a 6-1 lead.

Tockey's solo shot over the right-field wall in the fifth inning left had an exit velocity of 110.2 mph to make the score 7-1. It was Tockey's sixth homer in the postseason after hitting three during the regular season.

UNC showed some life in the seventh, churning out one run in the seventh but Mercurius stranded two to end the threat.

The Sooners delivered the final blow in the eighth, scoring four runs on two hits, the biggest being Branch's three-run homer on a 3-2 offering. Harris also singled in another in the session to complete the scoring.

Jackson Cleveland spun the final inning for Oklahoma, striking out the side.