The NC State baseball team defeated the No. 24 rival UNC-Chapel Hill Tar Heels 9-2 on the road behind an excellent outing from junior starter Reid Johnston and a strong offensive performance.
In his first start of the season, Johnston (9 IP, 2 ER, 7 H) pitched a gem, recording four strikeouts and only two runs in nine innings of work. He gave up seven hits, only one of which went for extra bases and only walked two Tar Heel (13-7, 8-5 ACC) batters.
Offensively, the Pack (6-9, 2-8 ACC) came out strong as well, knocking UNC’s starter, Austin Love (4 IP, 7 ER), out after just four innings. The Wolfpack’s two home runs off Love were just the second and third homers hit off him in 2021.
The NC State bats had a hot start to the evening, striking early in the top of the first off of a solo shot from sophomore center fielder Tyler McDonough (3-5, HR, 2 RBI) and increasing the lead to 6-0 in the second.
Two consecutive singles followed by a walk loaded the bases leading to a grand slam from sophomore third baseman Vojtech Mensik (1-4) and two more singles brought the sixth runner home in the second.
UNC’s defense struggled during the third, allowing another Wolfpack run to score on back-to-back throwing errors, though the Tar Heels were able to earn that run back in the bottom of the inning off a single to center field.
Two singles and a sacrifice fly by junior left fielder Jonny Butler (0-2, 2 BB, 1 RBI) to start the fourth inning gave NC State its seven-run lead back, which would be the end of the scoring until the seventh for both teams.
Despite threatening throughout the inning, a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh followed by a single from junior designated hitter Terrell Tatum (2-4, BB, RBI) was all that the Pack was able to score, bringing its lead to 9-1.
A solo shot in the bottom of the ninth gave the Tar Heels their second run of the night, but it wouldn’t be enough as NC State walked away with the 9-2 victory.
The series will continue Saturday in Chapel Hill at 1 p.m. and be aired live on ACC Network Extra.
