UNC Baseball Recap, Exhibition Game vs. NC State

Sophomore pitcher Walker McDuffie continued his groove from last season and threw the doors down on NC State, ending the game with a 5-6-5 double-play ball that capped off North Carolina’s 3-1 victory.

Jun 18, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels players look an after a loss against the Florida State Seminoles at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

“Yeah, it was, it was good to play State early on," said McDuffie following the contest.

"You know, just the environment. It's just a little like sneak peek of what's going to come this season when it's an actual game. So, yeah, I thought we did good. We hit a lot of hard balls, and they finally found a spot on the ground. They're going right to people at first."

Jun 8, 2025; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina head coach Scott Forbes during an interview with the media after a Super Regionals game against North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Scott Forbes also celebrates his 200th win. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

The Broadway, North Carolina native added on about his performance to prevent the Wolfpack from any kind of comeback during the top of the ninth inning.

"I mean for me, it's just coming out there and just trying to help my team win and just keep the lead.”

Jun 8, 2025; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Head Coach Scott Forbes and Arizona Head Coach Chip Hale meet before the first inning of the Super Regionals game in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

McDuffie entered the eighth inning and shut down NC State’s door with two runners on first and second base. With all of the momentum on the Wolfpack’s side, the Tar Heels escape once more, thanks to their pitching execution. Before McDuffie's appearance, head coach Scott Forbes had used seven different pitchers:

Folger Boaz
Boston Flannery
Cade Glauber
Jackson Rose
Camron Seagraves
Tom Chmielewski
Talan Holiday

“I'd have to really go back and look at it and the pitch calls and where they were and how good the umpire was, and look at the trackman, I'll probably say a B-minus roughly in that range," said Forbes, handing out a letter grade on his pitchers' performance as a whole.

Senior Carter French came into the game, and on his first at-bat, during the cooler hours of the contest, knocked a base hit in between first and second base, scoring Tyler Howe, who ended up on base after single to center field and stole second base during Lee Sowers' at-bat who struck out.

French ended up at second after the throw to home was lost by NC State’s catcher, putting North Carolina in scoring position yet again with one out.

Graduate student Michael Maginnis, the 10-hole hitter (for exhibition purposes), sent French across home plate on the following at-bat with a deep hit between center and right field for a double. Tar Heel fans roared once more, applauding their team’s timely hitting — as the scoreboard read 3-1 with one out and Forbes’ squad continued to apply pressure on State.

UNC’s push for two more runs ended with a strikeout by shortstop Jake Schaffner. But the home-field advantage played out well, as the Tar Heels had three outs to put the Thursday exhibition to rest. Nonetheless, the Tar Heel fans inside the Durham Bulls Athletic Park were pleased with the productive eight innings.

Third baseman Cooper Nicholson drove UNC's first run of the game across, sending in Schaffner during the bottom of the seventh inning. Forbes commented on the game's atmosphere while speaking to reporters after the contest concluded.

“Yeah, that's why Coach (Elliot) Avent and I wanted to do it number one, for the fans, but also for the players. You know, an environment like this is hard to find in the fall. Obviously, we're in it all the time in the spring, and anytime State and North Carolina play each other, you know that the fans are going to come out."

"So credit to them. Very thankful for that, because our guys, you find out, a lot of things about your guys, the bigger the crowd is. So that was great.”

Jun 8, 2025; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Head Coach Scott Forbes high fives the ream before the first inning of the Super Regionals game against Arizona in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

North Carolina and NC State's exhibition brought its fans out, filling up a majority of the DPAP (with the exception of the outfield bleachers). And behind the Diamond Heels was a sea of blue stretching from the end of left field toward the middle, slicing home plate — as the Wolfpack red had begun to pile up from then, onward, toward the right field side.

UNC now turns toward what's ahead: preparing for the 2026 season, one that comes after being a victory away from returning to the College World Series for a second year in a row.

“Yeah, just keep taking one day at a time and just continuing to get better. So it's not a close game like that,” said McDuffie on the mindset moving forward and what's ahead.

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