NC State Baseball
No. 3 NC State Turns Away No. 11 Florida State to Reach 40 Wins
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The third-ranked NC State baseball team earned a 5-3 win in the series finale against No. 11 Florida State Saturday afternoon at Dick Howser Stadium. The Wolfpack reaches 40 wins with the victory, one of just three teams in the ACC to reach the mark this season.
NC State also clinched the No. 3 seed in next week’s ACC Championship held at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The Wolfpack will be paired with the No. 6 and No. 10 seeds in Pool C.
The full schedule of games will be announced on Sunday morning.
The Wolfpack scored in the second inning and never trailed en route to the win to move to 40-14 on the year and 19-11 in ACC play, which ties the program record for conference wins. The Seminoles fall to 39-17 and 16-13 in conference action.
Quick Hits
– NC State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the game after a solo home run from Evan Edwards.
– The junior launched a 1-1 pitch over the right field wall for his 13th home run of the year.
– Brett Kinneman launched an opposite field solo shot in the fourth to put the Pack ahead 2-0 on his 17th homer of the year, which is the second most in the ACC.
– Florida State got on the board in the bottom half of the inning with a solo homer from Cal Raleigh, as the first three runs of the game were scored on long balls.
– The Wolfpack loaded the bases and pushed across a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to extend the lead to 4-1.
– Edwards drew an RBI walk after singles from Will Wilson, Patrick Bailey and a walk from Kinneman to make it 3-1.
– Stephen Pitarra hit into a double play, but it allowed Kinneman to score and extend the NC State lead to 4-1.
– The Seminoles got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the seventh after an RBI single from Rhett Aplin and a double by Cal Raleigh.
– Fortunately for the Wolfpack, relief pitcher Connor Centala struck out the next batter to end the threat and strand a pair of runners on second and third.
– NC State tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth following a sacrifice fly from Edwards, as he drove in his third run of the day.
– Kinneman doubled to start the inning after the FSU outfielder lost a ball in the sun and advanced to third on a groundout before scoring on the sac fly to extend the margin to 5-3.
– Three nice defensive plays by the Wolfpack in the bottom of the inning preserved the win.
Inside the Box Score
– Kinneman was 2-for-3 in the contest with three runs scored to lead NC State at the plate, highlighted by a home run and a double.
– Bailey, Brock Deatherage, Edwards, Pitarra and Wilson each had one hit for the Pack.
On the Mound
– Freshman David Harrison started on the mound for NC State and pitched 3.2 innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run.
– Kent Klyman threw 2.2 innings of relief to earn the win and move to 7-2 on the year, while Joe O’Donnell closed it out to nail down his 11th save of the year.
On Deck
NC State will return to action next week at the ACC Championship held at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park
NC State Baseball
NC State Came From Behind to Beat UNC 5-4 Securing 1st Home Series Win Over the Tar Heels Since 2016!
NC State came from behind to defeat their rival #11 UNC 5-4, winning their first series at home against the Tar Heels since 2016. The last time NC State won a series against UNC was in Chapel Hill in 2021.
A good team learns to take advantage of their opponents mistakes, and that’s exactly what the Wolfpack did this evening. Of the 5 runs they scored, only 3 of them were earned.
In the Bottom of the 8th inning, with the Wolfpack trailing 4-2, Junior Shortstop Brandon Butterworth was the author of late-game heroics once again, hitting an RBI Single, knocking in Senior 3rd Baseman Alec Makarewicz, but the play wasn’t over. Butterworth advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch, and Junior Catcher Jacob Cozart scored on a Wild Pitch. After a groundout by Junior Outfielder Chase Nixon, Butterworth would score on a Passed Ball during the next at bat, scoring the winning run of the game.
BUTTERS! More late-inning damage for No. 3 🧈 pic.twitter.com/HKU1AVGm0Z
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 20, 2024
CHAOS! Pack leads heading to the ninth!! pic.twitter.com/ifQl0t2oG2
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 20, 2024
Sophomore Dominic Fritton was fairly steady, giving up 4 earned runs in 6 innings pitched, striking out 7 (4 walks). Fortunately, no one was on base for all three of UNC’s Home Runs.
When Fritton left the game, the Pack was trailing 4-1, with their only run coming off of an RBI Double by Senior 1st Baseman Garrett Pennington in the Bottom of the 3rd.
Penny ties it up at The Doak!#Pack9 | @Garrettpenn14 pic.twitter.com/Ww7aTJy705
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 19, 2024
The Wolfpack bullpen was exceptional this evening, putting 0’s on the board for 3 straight innings after Fritton exited the game. Freshman Jaxon Lucas pitched two scoreless innings with 2 K’s, and Freshman Jacob Dudan pitched a scoreless 9th, picking up his 4th Save of the year. Lucas was credited with the Win, and is 2-0 on the year.
While I’m dishing out kudos, I don’t want to forget Sophomore Center Fielder Eli Serrano III’s RBI Double in the Bottom of the 7th, cutting UNC’s lead to 2 Runs.
Two-out damage 👊#Pack9 | @eliserrano__ pic.twitter.com/qmbkMZvkgS
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 20, 2024
This NC State is peaking at the right time, against the right teams.
The Wolfpack will look to finish things off with a sweep tomorrow afternoon, with the first pitch scheduled for 3pm.
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.