CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 8 Florida State (19-5, 4-4 ACC) split a doubleheader at North Carolina (14-9, 4-4) Friday, with the Tar Heels winning the first game 16-8 and FSU taking the second game 6-3 in 10 innings. It was FSU’s first extra-inning game this season.
Leftfielder Jackson Lueck and shortstop Mike Salvatore each had four hits over the two games, including a season high three hits each in the second game.
Game 1
UNC scored early and often in a 16-8 win over the Seminoles in game one of Friday’s doubleheader. FSU rallied from a five-run first inning deficit to tie the score at 5-5 in the third inning, but the Tar Heels recorded 17 hits and posted seven runs in the seventh inning to break open the game.
Starting pitcher Cole Sands allowed six runs in four innings but left with the game tied at 6-6 after Jackson Lueck’s three-run home run and Steven Wells’ two-run double cut into UNC’s 5-0 lead.
Clayton Kwiatkowski (3-1) allowed a two-run home run to Michael Busch, his first of two in the game, that gave UNC an 8-6 lead. After Drew Mendoza’s RBI groundout cut the lead to 8-7, the Tar Heels scored seven runs on seven hits in the seventh inning to put the game out of reach.
Lueck had a season high four RBI after notching a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning. Freshman Reese Albert was the only Nole with two hits, including an RBI double in the ninth inning.
Brett Daniels (3-0) pitched four innings in relief of starter Tyler Baum to earn the win.
Game 2
Unlike Friday’s opener, game two turned into a pitcher’s duel between FSU’s Drew Parrish and North Carolina’s Austin Bergner. Both teams were scoreless through four innings before Dallas Tesser hit his first home run of the season to start the bottom of the fifth.
UNC added another run against Parrish on an RBI single by Kyle Datres that bounced off the second base bag, away from second baseman Nick Derr and into centerfield, allowing Cody Roberts to score and double the Tar Heel lead.
FSU had a pair of hits in the first inning, but the second, by Cal Raleigh, hit off baserunner Jackson Lueck to end the frame. FSU had the bases loaded in the second inning when Mike Salvatore was picked off first base to end the threat.
Drew Mendoza singled in his first at bat to extend his hitting streak to 16 games. After Mendoza walked to start the fourth inning, Bergner retired the next eight hitters before walking Mendoza again.
FSU’s three runs in the seventh inning were sparked by the bottom of the order, with Steven Wells and Salvatore singling off Bergner. Josh Hiatt relieved Bergner and allowed a sacrifice fly to Derr cut the lead to 2-1. Lueck walked and Rhett Aplin hit a two-strike single to right field that scored Salvatore and tied the score.
Raleigh’s second single of the game scored Lueck, charged to Hiatt, and gave FSU a 3-2 lead. Entering Friday’s game, Hiatt had not allowed a run in 25 of his previous 26 starts. The one start he did allow runs was in the ACC Championship Game against FSU last season, when he surrendered six in FSU’s 7-3 win.
Parrish allowed a pair of infield singles and a walk to load the bases with one out before giving way to Conor Grady in the bottom of the seventh. On Grady’s fourth pitch, Datres grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
Grady himself ran into trouble in the eighth, allowing a pair of walks and setting up Jonah Scolaro (1-0) to enter with two outs. Scolaro got Ashton McGee to strike out looking to end the threat.
The Tar Heels forced extra innings in the ninth inning on one of the most exciting plays of the season. Scolaro struck out two hitters to start the inning, but Busch singled on his only hit of the game (with four walks) and Datres doubled down the left field line on a full count. Lueck threw to Mendoza, Mendoza threw to Raleigh and Busch slid safely just a hair before Raleigh laid the tag down. After review, officials confirmed the call and the game was tied 3-3.
In the 10th, Reese Albert and Wells drew walks against Hansen Butler (0-1), J.C. Flowers reached on a sacrifice bunt error to load the bases and Salvatore came through with a two-run single to give FSU a 5-3 lead. Lueck’s sacrifice fly provided the final margin.
North Carolina went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning to give Scolaro his first collegiate win.
Up Next
Due to inclement weather expected in Chapel Hill, Florida State and North Carolina will take off Saturday before finishing the series Sunday afternoon. LHP Austin Pollock (2-1, 3.09 ERA) will throw for FSU, while UNC will counter with RHP Taylor Sugg (2-0, 4.67 ERA).
The game will stream live on the ACC Network Extra and Eric Luallen will be on the radio in Tallahassee on 106.1 FM and nationwide on the FSU Gameday App.
For more information on Florida State baseball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, or keep up with the team on social media through Twitter (@FSUBaseball), Facebook (/FSUBaseball), and Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
