Second-Ranked NC State Drops Series Finale Against No. 6 UNC-Chapel Hill

RALEIGH, N.C. – The second-ranked NC State baseball team loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the ninth with the tying run on third and the go-ahead run on second, but No. 6 UNC-Chapel Hill held on for the 5-4 win Sunday afternoon at Doak Field at Dail Park.

The Wolfpack suffers its first series loss and sweep since last season, when the squad bounced back by winning its next 13 series, including 10 in ACC play.

NC State moves to 31-11 on the year and 15-9 in ACC play, while UNC has won eight of its last nine games to improve to 31-13 and 18-6 in conference action. Caden O’Brien earned the win for the Tar Heels and is now 4-0, while Johnny Piedmonte was charged with the loss for the Wolfpack.

Quick Hits
– The Tar Heels pushed across the first runs of the game after a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch with the bases loaded to give UNC a 2-0 lead.
– Brock Deatherage led off the second for NC State with a solo homer over the left field wall to cut the deficit in half on his eighth blast of the season.
– An RBI single from Ike Freeman gave the Heels a 3-1 lead in the top of the third following a hit-by-pitch and a sac bunt to move the runner into scoring position.
– The Tar Heels plated a pair of runs in the top half of the fifth to extend the lead to 5-1 and the Wolfpack countered in the bottom of the inning with two runs to make it 5-3.
– Freshman Patrick Bailey drew a two-out walk and Deatherage stepped to the plate next and hit his second home run of the day to log his first career multi-homer game.
– Stephen Pitarra led off the eighth for the Wolfpack with a double down the left field line and scored later in the inning on a wild pitch to narrow the UNC lead to 5-4.
– NC State looked to rally with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, as three consecutive walks loaded the bases, but UNC got the next batter to fly out to right field to end the game.

Inside the Box Score
– Redshirt senior Joe O’Donnell made his 87th career appearance on the mound, which ties Joey Devine for the program record.
– Deatherage led NC State at the plate with a 3-for-4 outing, highlighted by a pair of home runs and three RBI.
– The Burlington, N.C., native is the fourth Wolfpack player to tally a multi-homer game this season.
– Kent Klyman threw 3.1 innings of relief and struck out a career-high six batters on a career-best 70 pitches. Both runs he surrendered were unearned and he did not allow an extra-base hit, as the Tar Heels only collected one for the game.

On Deck
NC State returns to action Wednesday evening when the squad welcomes the Campbell Camels to Doak Field at Dail Park. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.