Florida State baseball drops opener at North Carolina after walk-off home run

FSU Sports Information
·2 min read
Florida State pitcher Carson Montgomery (21) pitches to the batter. The Florida State Seminoles hosted the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles for a baseball game Tuesday, March 8, 2022.
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After rallying back from a four-run deficit in the first inning – and leading in the ninth – Florida State (32-20, 15-13 ACC) lost 7-5 to North Carolina (32-19, 13-15) on a walk-off three-run home run from Alberto Osuna. It was Osuna’s second three-run home run of the game.

North Carolina led 4-0 after the first inning, scoring all three runs against FSU starter Carson Montgomery. Montgomery, Conner Whittaker and Wyatt Crowell (5-1) combined to keep the Tar Heels off the board for seven innings until Osuna’s ninth-inning home run.

FSU slowly clawed back into the game before taking the lead in the eighth inning. Jaime Ferrer doubled in the fourth inning and scored on James Tibbs’ single. Logan Lacey’s solo home run later that inning made the lead 4-2 UNC.

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In the sixth, Ferrer hit his eighth home run of the season, over the scoreboard in left field. With two outs in the eighth, Ferrer singled and Tibbs’ 10th home run of the season gave FSU its first lead.

Crowell entered in relief of Whittaker, who threw four scoreless innings. In the eighth, North Carolina loaded the bases without getting the ball out of the infield, but Crowell struck out leadoff hitter Angel Zarate to strand all three runners.

In the ninth, UNC reached on a single and a walk before Osuna’s home run on a 2-2 count. It was FSU’s second walk-off loss in as many games.

UP NEXT

Game two of the series is Friday at 6:00 p.m. Parker Messick (6-3, 2.94 ERA, 132 strikeouts) will make his 14th start of the season.

Reach Carter Karels at ckarels@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @CarterKarels.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU baseball falls to North Carolina on walk-off home run