Jacob Cozart’s breakout game against UNC might be what he needed

NC State junior catcher Jacob Cozart did not hide the joy that he felt after he smashed a three-run homer down the right field line in the Wolfpack’s 9-8 win over No. 11 North Carolina to open the series Thursday night at Doak Field. 

“It felt really good,” Cozart said with a chuckle. “It’s a really good feeling, I can’t even lie.”

Though Cozart sent the towering shot into the abyss of the Raleigh night — and it gave NC State a three-run lead in the sixth inning — it was not what he had done to begin ACC play. The preseason All-American struggled to open conference play with a .277 batting average paired alongside three doubles, nine RBI and a .323 slugging percentage. 

Cozart’s power took a dip through the Wolfpack’s first 18 league games, from where it was a year ago. He had a .579 slugging percentage with eight doubles and seven homers against ACC competition last season to set up a pivotal campaign ahead of this summer’s MLB Draft. 

Though it has not been what Cozart wanted to have at the start of ACC play, the catcher has stayed true to himself. He has not allowed it to affect the rest of his game — his strikeout rate is 13.4%, while he is walking 15.9% of the time in league play, both career-best numbers against such competition. 

Cozart has stuck with what has worked, and eventually it was going to click. 

It did just that in the Wolfpack’s walk-off win over the Tar Heels. He went 2-for-4 with the three-run homer and five total RBI. He nearly doubled his RBI numbers from the entire league slate in one game, but Cozart was fine with that. 

“I’ve been having my ups and downs this year,” Cozart said. “I just stuck with what I’ve been doing, trusting what I can do, trusting the process. When I put my best swing on it, good things will happen.”

Cozart’s best swing came after a lengthy North Carolina pitching change as the Tar Heels were looking for the right matchup against the dangerous hitter. He sent the first pitch he saw from North Carolina reliever Kyle Percival nearly to Mars before it fell back to Earth as a meteor to ignite the Wolfpack’s 3,048 faithful in attendance.

But that was not his first key hit in the contest. While it was what showed the potential of Cozart’s bat and his power, a single through the right side in the first inning helped break his bat open. 

Cozart was up with two in scoring position — they both reached to open the game — but with two outs and a 2-2 count. He did not panic at the plate, rather he appeared calm and was able to poke the pitch through the shift and into right field to score the pair. That gave NC State its first lead after North Carolina had control with a solo shot in the first. 

NC State coach Elliott Avent knew what that base knock meant to Cozart. 

“I think that was not only big for our ballclub, but big for him,” Avent said. “We had second and third and three hole and four hole up, and their guy was really, really good. … Cozy comes through with that big hit in that shift. He hit that ball on the screws. That was big for him.”

The breakout game might have unlocked Cozart’s bat at the right time. He has a sense of confidence about himself, knowing he is a capable hitter, but this could have a new impact on the Pack’s lineup. 

With Cozart swinging the bat well in the five spot, NC State’s batting order becomes even more difficult to pitch to with the red-hot slugger Alec Makarewicz hitting in front of him, while center fielder Eli Serrano III and first baseman Garrett Pennington pace the leadoff and third spots in the lineup.

Though Cozart seemed to have found his stroke, he remained humble. There is nothing less to expect from the catcher that always seems to put his team first — even after breaking out of a cold stretch at the plate. 

“It’s not just for myself, I was just playing for the guys, doing what I can to help us win,” Cozart said. “Who knows, tomorrow it might be Eli Serrano or Garrett Pennington having a day like that. That’s what this team does, we have each other’s backs. If someone doesn’t do their job, the next guy does it.”

NC State vs. No. 11 North Carolina Game 2

First pitch: 6 p.m.
Probable pitchers: LHP Shea Sprague (UNC) vs. LHP Dominic Fritton (NC State)

Streaming: ACC Network Extra
Talent: Andrew Sanders (play-by-play) and Andrew Ciencin (analyst)

Radio broadcast: WKNC 88.1
Talent: Tony Haynes (play-by-play)