NC State Pushes UNC Baseball to the Brink

The UNC baseball team traveled to Raleigh on Thursday knowing it likely has to win at least two of its three games against No. 13 NC State to qualify for the ACC Tournament.

Round one, however, went to the team in red.

NC State put together back-to-back three-run innings in the sixth and seventh–then held off a furious Tar Heel rally in the ninth–to pull out a 6-4 victory at Doak Field.

The loss sends UNC to a record of 33-20 (12-16 ACC), while putting a damper on a career night for sophomore shortstop Logan Warmoth.

Warmoth went 4-for-5 with 3 RBIs, including a run-scoring single in the ninth inning–making him responsible for half of the Tar Heels’ eight hits in the game.

Zac Gallen tied a season high in runs allowed against NC State, but was excellent over the first five innings. (Joe Bray/ UNC Athletics)

Zac Gallen–in what could have been his final collegiate start as UNC’s ace–got tagged for a season-high five earned runs over 6.1 innings.

He was outstanding for five innings, but the Wolfpack lineup simply took full advantage of a couple opportunities later in the game.

Trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, NC State sophomore Stephen Pitarra doubled off of Gallen with one out–just the third hit of the night for the home team.

After Gallen sat Evan Mendoza down in the next at-bat, Preston Palmeiro, Joe Dunand and Brock Deatherage strung together three straight RBI hits–all with two outs.

Momentum followed NC State into the seventh, where it forced Gallen out of the game by getting men over to second and third base with just one out.

UNC reliever Brett Daniels entered the game, but immediately allowed Pitarra to kick-start the next big inning for the Wolfpack.

The local product from nearby Cary, NC singled home NC State’s fourth run–sending a 2-0 pitch from Daniels into center field.

Mendoza then hit a sacrifice fly, before Dunand later picked up his second RBI of the night with a two-out double to left.

Eight of the Wolfpack’s 10 hits came during that crucial two-inning span.

NC State came up big when it got the chances on Thursday. (Gopack.com)

Not until the top of the ninth–their final chance–did the Tar Heels have any kind of answer.

Pinch-hitter Wyatt Cross walked to begin the frame, followed by a single from Cody Roberts.

The next man up, Brian Miller, brought Cross home with a single. Warmoth added his third RBI two batters later.

With the tying run on first base, and just one out, both Brandon Riley and Zack Gahagan grounded into fielder’s choices to end the game.

It’s safe to say that at this point–with just two regular season games remaining–the Tar Heels’ backs are clearly pressed against the wall.

How they respond could make all the difference.

Up Next:

Friday’s game is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. JB Bukauskas will be on the mound for the Tar Heels, facing off with NC State’s Brian Brown.

Game Notes:

• Cory Wilder started on the mound for the Wolfpack, but was pulled before he could get out of the first inning. Six relievers combined to go the rest of the way for head coach Elliott Avent, striking out 14 Tar Heels along the way.
• UNC has scored just 22 runs in Zac Gallen’s last 7 starts. He finishes the regular season with a 5-5 record and a 2.97 ERA.
• NC State went 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position. UNC went just 4-for-16.
• Evan Mendoza, the Wolfpack’s sophomore third baseman, had his 23-game hitting streak snapped.

FINAL BOX SCORE

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