University of North Carolina Athletics
Friday, April 2
Tallahassee, FL
6 PM
North Carolina
14-10, 9-7
4
at
3
Florida State
13-9, 8-8
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2
3
4
5
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7
8
9
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H
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North Carolina
0
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Florida State
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Photo by: ABE LOVEN
Pitching Staff, Thompson Lead Tar Heels Over No. 18 FSU 4-3
April 2, 2021 | Baseball
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Justice Thompson gave North Carolina (14-10) the go-ahead run in the ninth with an RBI single to left field to knock off No. 18 Florida State (13-9) 4-3 in game one at Dick Howser Stadium.
Thompson proved clutch on Friday evening, as he recorded the game-winning RBI after striking out in his first four plate appearances.
It was a pitcher's duel to begin game one against the Seminoles with neither surrendering a run through the first four innings.
Austin Love started the game on the bump for the Tar Heels and struck out five of the first seven batters he faced. He added two more strikeouts in the fifth to bring his total to seven through five frames.
North Carolina started four true freshman and it paid off in the fifth inning, as three produced the Tar Heels' first run of the ballgame. After Johnny Castagnozzi roped a one-out double, Mac Horvath singled to left field. With runners on the corners, Colby Wilkerson laid down a bunt down the first-base line for the RBI and the 1-0 lead.
The Tar Heels struck again in the seventh inning after Angel Zarate poked a two-out single to plate Castagnozzi and Horvath that pushed the Tar Heels advantage to 3-0.
Florida State answered in the seventh inning with a 440-foot three-run home run to tie the game and shift the momentum in favor of the Seminoles.
After a quiet eighth that featured four pitching changes, Thompson gave Carolina the go-ahead run in the ninth.
Caden O'Brien was sensational for the Tar Heels on the mound, striking out each of the four batters that he faced, which included the final three of the game.
North Carolina's pitching staff accounted for 16 strikeouts, the most since recording 15 against NC State on April 27, 2018.
Love finished the game with 10 strikeouts in 7.0 innings. He surrendered three hits, three runs, two earned, and issued a pair of walks.
Horvath and Castagnozzi led the Tar Heels' offense with two hits apiece.
Game two is slated for 2 p.m. tomorrow.
Thompson proved clutch on Friday evening, as he recorded the game-winning RBI after striking out in his first four plate appearances.
It was a pitcher's duel to begin game one against the Seminoles with neither surrendering a run through the first four innings.
Austin Love started the game on the bump for the Tar Heels and struck out five of the first seven batters he faced. He added two more strikeouts in the fifth to bring his total to seven through five frames.
North Carolina started four true freshman and it paid off in the fifth inning, as three produced the Tar Heels' first run of the ballgame. After Johnny Castagnozzi roped a one-out double, Mac Horvath singled to left field. With runners on the corners, Colby Wilkerson laid down a bunt down the first-base line for the RBI and the 1-0 lead.
The Tar Heels struck again in the seventh inning after Angel Zarate poked a two-out single to plate Castagnozzi and Horvath that pushed the Tar Heels advantage to 3-0.
Florida State answered in the seventh inning with a 440-foot three-run home run to tie the game and shift the momentum in favor of the Seminoles.
After a quiet eighth that featured four pitching changes, Thompson gave Carolina the go-ahead run in the ninth.
Caden O'Brien was sensational for the Tar Heels on the mound, striking out each of the four batters that he faced, which included the final three of the game.
North Carolina's pitching staff accounted for 16 strikeouts, the most since recording 15 against NC State on April 27, 2018.
Love finished the game with 10 strikeouts in 7.0 innings. He surrendered three hits, three runs, two earned, and issued a pair of walks.
Horvath and Castagnozzi led the Tar Heels' offense with two hits apiece.
Game two is slated for 2 p.m. tomorrow.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: O'Brien, Caden (2-0)
L: Chase Haney (3-1)
Batting:
2B: Castagnozzi, Johnny 1
RBI: Thompson, Justice 1 ; Zarate, Angel 2 ; Wilkerson, Colby 1
SH: Wilkerson, Colby 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Castagnozzi, Johnny 3 ; Horvath, Mac 1
HBP: Wilkerson, Colby 1
Batting:
HR: Elijah Cabell 1
RBI: Elijah Cabell 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Matheu Nelson 1 ; Reese Albert 1 ; Elijah Cabell 1
HBP: Tyler Martin 1
Game Leaders
1b/2b
AB
4
R
3
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
5
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
INF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballOF
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