NC State just defeated #11 UNC 9-8 via a walk-off Home Run from Junior Shortstop Brandon Butterworth in the Bottom of the 9th inning.
The Wolfpack have 6 walk-off wins in 2024, which leads the nation.
In a game in which there was a combined 8 Home Runs between both teams, it was the last one that mattered most.
UNC kicked things off in the Top of the 1st inning with a Home Run from Casey Cook. The Wolfpack would respond in the Bottom of the 1st with a 2-RBI Single from Junior Catcher Jacob Cozart.
Two-out damage from ‘Zart 💥 pic.twitter.com/cSn7vKoZBh
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 18, 2024
Cook would hit another Home Run in the Top of the 3rd, and Vance Honeycutt would also hit a 2-Run Home Run, giving the Tar Heels a 4-2 lead.
Once again, the Wolfpack responded in the bottom frame. Senior Third Baseman Alec Makarewicz hit his 15th Home Run of the season.
Ideal start to the home half of the third 💣#Pack9 | @Alec_mak99 pic.twitter.com/BrLSstM3D2
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 19, 2024
Junior Outfielder Chase Nixon had an RBI Single, and his Freshman brother Luke (2B) brought in the third run of the inning on a fielders choice, giving the Wolfpack a 5-4 lead.
Tie game! C-Nix delivers 😤 pic.twitter.com/aafYlvOhUh
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 19, 2024
The 4th inning was the only inning of the contest in which no runs were scored.
UNC’s Park Harber tied the game in the Top of the 5th with a solo shot.
Cozart was the Wolfpack’s MVP, giving his team a 3-run cushion in the bottom of the 6th inning with a 3-run Home Run. He had 5 RBI’s this evening.
TO THE MOON 📈🚀 pic.twitter.com/8g8pPUFJAN
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 19, 2024
The cushion wasn’t enough, with the Tar Heels scoring 3 runs over the next two innings. Alberto Osuna hit a solo shot, Alex Madera had an RBI Single, and Harber hit a sac fly.
With the game tied in the bottom of the 9th, with one out, Brandon Butterworth crushed the ball over the left field fence, snapping a 5-game losing streak against UNC.
CALLED. GAME.#Pack9 | @SlippinOnButter pic.twitter.com/6B15Jxkndr
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 19, 2024
Wolfpack Starter Sam Highfill lasted 3.1 innings, giving up 4 runs, while striking out 4. His ERA on the year is 5.16.
It was Sophomore Shane Van Dam that brought stability to the mound, pitching 3.2 innings, giving up 2 earned runs, while striking out 5. On the year, Van Dam’s ERA is 2.90.
Sophomore Derrick Smith came in to close things out, and gave up 1 run on 1 hit in 2 innings, striking out 2. Smith picked up the Win, and is 3-0 on the year.
Game 2 of the series is tomorrow night at 6pm at Doak Field. The Wolfpack will look to secure their first series victory over their rival since 2021, and their first one at home since 2016.
NC State and #11 UNC will kickoff a 3-game series in Raleigh tonight, but before the two rivals hit the diamond, here’s a Bracketology report for the Wolfpack before the first pitch.
D1Baseball currently projects that NC State will be the #2 seed in Greenville Region, hosted by #9 seed East Carolina. Back on April 2nd, the Wolfpack lost 4-12 to the Pirates at the Doak.
Baseball America projects NC State will be a #2 seed in the Knoxville Region, hosted by #6 seed Tennessee.
The Wolfpack are currently 20-14 overall, ranking 33rd in the RPI.
The thing is almost of ofctge guys who transfer amount to less at the school they transfer to than what they were at state. Good luck to the twins but I think it is another case of over hyped ego getting the best of these kids.
What is going on at State? Why does no one want to come to State? If Abu goes Pro, we will have only six scholarship players on the team, and that’s counting Smith. If he is as good as project, he is one and done. Looks like we will have to have a try-out of other undergraduates at school. Maybe some of the football players can play basketball.
Does anyone know if Henderson will be able to play at State for two more years?
wulfpacker I agree that I was not that overwhelmed by their ability, but right now we don’t have anyone to replace them. Kirk, Dorn, and Henderson are unknowns at this point. Rowan has to grow up and get in better shape to be our star. Smith will only be at State one year. We will only have Chris’s kid to play the point then. Wow what a future State has in basketball. Don’t let everyone get excited about the big Turkey kid, Duke and Kentucky are after him also.
wulfpacker I predicted that the 2015-2016 would suck terribly when Lacey declared last year. Well I predict that the 2016-2017 team will suck more than this year team. We have no idea that Henderson or Dorn can play at the ACC level. We saw Kirk some. What we saw was no that promising. Abu is gone and Anya will put on another 30 lbs. We will have a hard time beat Boston College or High Point College next year. Time to get rid of Gottfried. Nothing more needs to be said except goodbye Mark.
Gottfried still has life. The biggest determinant will be who does he hire this offseason to replace Rob Moxley. Also better hope Abu doesn’t get false hope or dreams at NBA combine. If Abu leaves that could be a tough hurdle to overcome. Otherwise program will be fine without Martins. Henderson, Smith, Dorn, Rowan, Kirk. Plenty of options.
This is a classic case of kids thinking they are better than they are. Everyone thinks they should be playing 30 minutes a game. These two played 25-30 minutes a game on a team that had 5 ACC wins…doesn’t sound like they are program changers. I don’t think it is a big loss at all. Neither kid was as good as they were advertised. Didn’t play good defense and wildly inconsistent offensively.
Time to get rid of Gottfried. Too many transfers. We will never have a good program again with this coach. Wake up Yow and smell what’s happening. This is not starting to get ridiculous, it is already way to ridiculous. Get rid of Gottfried now so we can find another coach before everyone leaves.
These 2 were over promoted and over rated. Yes they played better this year but they never lived up to the hype…
Probably because the twins have Henderson, Dorn, and Rowan in front of them. They don’t seem like the type that wants to come off the bench mainly as guys to spell the starters while they get a breather, especially Caleb, who enjoys to shoot the ball ALOT. Not surprised by this at all.
This is starting to get ridiculous every year we lose transfers under Gottfried somebody please explain to me what is going on with this program.