UNC scored six runs in the seventh inning Sunday to put NC State away and take the rivalry series two games to one. NC State is now 21-12 overall and 6-9 in the ACC but still remains just outside the Top 25 in many college baseball rankings. State’s schedule gets considerably easier following the weekend series with the Heels.
Here’s some recaps from the action.
Baseball drops finale in Chapel Hill, 9-6
For the second time in three games, North Carolina scored six runs in the seventh inning Saturday, this time overcoming a 3-2 deficit en route to a 9-6 victory over NC State in the final game of a three-game ACC series at Boshamer Stadium.
The victory gave the Tar Heels the series win, two games to one, and lifted them to 22-12 overall and 6-9 in the conference. NC State dropped to 21-12 and 6-9. Michael Morin (5-0), the third of five UNC pitchers got the win with two innings of relief. He allowed three runs, but all were unearned, walked two and did not record a strikeout. Garrett Davis got the final out for his first save. Anthony Tzamtzis was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs on three hits in one inning.
Baseball evens series with UNC, 14-6
Andrew Ciencin’s second grand-slam homer in less than a week highlighted a six-run fourth inning, and Cory Mazzoni and Grant Sasser combined to scatter seven hits Saturday as NC State rolled past North Carolina 14-6 in the second game of a three-game ACC series at Boshamer Stadium.
NC State won for the sixth time in its last eight games and improved to 21-11 overall, 6-8 in the ACC. The loss knocked North Carolina to 21-12 overall and 5-9 in the conference. Mazzoni (4-2) worked the first 5 2/3 innings and allowed six runs on six hits. He walked three and struck out five. Sasser pitched the final 3 1/3 innings and allowed nothing other than a two-out single in the eighth and a pair of walks. He struck out four and recorded his first college save.
Pack drops series opener vs. UNC, 14-7
The game began sloppy and ended ugly for NC State, which gave up 12 walks and made five errors in a 14-7 loss to North Carolina in the series opener between the two ACC rivals.
The Wolfpack (20-11 overall, 5-8 ACC) jumped out to two early leads, scoring single runs in the first and second innings, but could not sustain them.
North Carolina (21-11, 5-8) tied the game in the bottom of the first and took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the second. The Tar Heels put up three more in the sixth and six more in the seventh, as the Wolfpack pitching got a little wild.
