'Thank Me Now': Brandon Martorano earns game-winning walk in UNC baseball's 7-6 win

With the game on the line, junior Brandon Martorano strutted to the plate. Drake's song "Thank Me Now" blared in the background.

In that moment, with the No. 4 North Carolina baseball team tied with Charleston Southern, 6-6, in the bottom of the ninth inning, Martorano’s walk-up song proved prophetic. 

Although he did not record a hit in his previous four plate appearances, he was ready for the challenge. With one out, the bases were loaded as Martorano stepped up to the plate. Head coach Mike Fox was optimistic he could secure the victory. 

“He steps up there; he just looked just as calm as he can be," Fox said. "I really felt like he was going to hit a ball hard there, hit a fly ball. He looked really under control. That is a veteran.” 

Rather than swing for the fences, Martorano was patient. 

“I just kind of went up there and saw two sliders in the dirt,” Martorano said. “Got to 2-0, then I just told myself, I was not swinging unless it was right down the middle.” 

Martorano's patience at the plate paid off. He drew another ball to get to 3-0, then a strike at 3-1. On the fifth pitch of the at bat, Martorano stayed with his approach. He watched another ball fly by and drew a walk, one that drove in the winning run. 

Martorano turned to the Tar Heel dugout, clapped his hands at his teammates and smiled as he ran to first base. The walk secured a 7-6 victory for North Carolina (12-1) over Charleston Southern (4-10). 

For Martorano’s moment to happen, UNC had to battle the Buccaneers from the start. 

Throughout the game, six different pitchers took the mound for North Carolina, but none could quiet the CSU offense. The Tar Heels also struggled to find their groove at the plate for part of the contest. 

UNC had only five hits, two of which came from Michael Busch. North Carolina was out-hit, 10-5, by Charleston Southern. This is the third time North Carolina won a game in which it was out-hit by its opponent this season.  

“The guys they threw on the mound threw strikes...” Busch said. “They did a good job on the mound, although we could have done a little better at the plate.” 

The outcome in this contest came down to the ninth inning with the score tied, 6-6. Redshirt first-year Austin Love pitched a scoreless top of the inning for the Tar Heels, so they went to the bottom of the ninth with a chance to win.

Jackson Hesterlee singled to open the frame and Dallas Tessar entered the game as a pinch runner. 

Next up was Ben Casparius. He bunted the ball, which landed in fair territory. But before he bunted the ball, the umpire called a balk on the pitcher. However, since Casparius put the ball in fair territory anyway, UNC was able to play it as a base hit. In the confusion, the play continued, and Casparius made it safely to first base. 

“We were screaming in the dugout telling him to run, run, run, and Ben just looked like a deer in the headlights,” Martorano said. 

With two men on base, pitch hitter Clemente Inclan drew a walk to load the bases for first-year Danny Serretti. Serretti grounded into a fielder’s choice. The first baseman for the Buccaneers threw the ball home, and the catcher tagged out Tessar. Although Tessar did not score, North Carolina still had hope. 

Next up was Martorano, who received a message before walking to the plate. 

“Coach Wierzbicki told me, he said, ‘When you get up there, all I want you to do is just be as calm and as patient as you can,’" Martorano said. “That is pretty much all I was focusing on.”

Once the umpire called ball four, Martorano turned and faced the North Carolina dugout and clapped his hands together with a smile on his face and ran to first base, allowing Hesterlee to score the winning run.

In this moment, Martorano didn’t let the pressure affect him. 

"Just having fun in the moment takes all the pressure away,” Martorano said.  “If you think up there it’s going to be hard to hit, and that is evident. Just having your relaxed mindset and having ultra-confidence and wanting to be in that moment is key.” 

Martorano’s patience at the plate secured the victory for his team after a fitting lyric blasted throughout the stadium. 

“You could thank me now, go ‘head...," Drake sang. "Later doesn’t always come so instead its OK, you could thank me now.” 

@TorreNetkovick

@DTHSports | sports@dailytarheel.com