Baseball Loses Opener To NC State On Walk-Off Home Run

Thursday, April 18

Raleigh, N.C.

7 p.m.

North Carolina

29-9, 14-5

NC State

21-14, 11-8

North Carolina

NC State

Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI

April 18, 2024 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: UNC Athletics Communications

RALEIGH, N.C. – Brandon Butterworth hit a walk-off home run to lift NC State over No. 11 North Carolina 9-8 on Thursday night at Doak Field in the ACC three-game series opener.

It was just his third home run of the season.

"If you give up nine runs, it's hard to win no matter who you play," UNC head coach Scott Forbes said. "You get eight in this league you have to find a way to win.

"They hit us, we hit them; Butterworth hit a 95 mph fastball over the wall and they just got one more than we did."

Jacob Cozart gave NC State (21-14, 11-8 ACC) an 8-5 lead with a two-out, three-run home run in the sixth. The Wolfpack got a pair of one-out singles to start the frame, but UNC (29-9, 14-5) was on the verge of getting out of the inning when Cameron Padgett struck out Alec Makarewicz for the second out.

Left-handed pitcher Kyle Percival came into face the left-handed hitting Cozart, who hit Percival's first pitch over the right field fence.

"Percival has been really good for us. He just threw a fastball up in his eyeballs," Forbes said. "Credit to Cozart for taking a great swing with it."

Alberto Osuna homered in the seventh, and Alex Madera drove home Gavin Gallaher to make it a one-run game. Parks Harber, who tied the game at 5-all with a solo homer in the fifth, tied it again with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.

"[Cozart's] three-run home run tells you a lot about our guys," Forbes said. "They didn't bat an eye. They just kept going, and that's impressive. After [allowing] that three-run home run, the game might be over [for some teams], but that's not the case with this team."

The Tar Heels hit five home runs, including two by Casey Cook, but only one brought home more than one run.

Cook hit a solo home run off Sam Highfill in the first and then went back-to-back with Vance Honeycutt in the third to push UNC out to a 4-2 lead. NC State answered with three runs in the third to take a one-run lead.

Anthony Donofrio went 3-for-5 with a double, a triple and two runs scored. Gallaher and Madera collected two hits.

Derrick Smith (3-0) earned the win despite allowing the tying run, striking out two in two innings. Matt Poston (2-2) suffered his second straight loss.

The series resumes Friday, April 19, at 6 p.m. Junior left-handed pitcher Shea Sprague (2-1) will get the start for UNC, and fellow lefty Dominic Fritton (2-3) will take the mound for the Wolfpack.