Pitt
Miami
Pitt Hosts No. 11 Miami in Final Home ACC Series
5/11/2023 6:06:00 PM | Baseball
Pitt is most recently coming off of a tough loss to No. 12 West Virginia, where they had the tying run in scoring position and the winning run at first with two outs in the ninth. The Panthers could never regain their early lead in this back and forth contest, Pitt would ultimately lose this one 9-8. Jack Anderson (4-5, 2B), Noah Martinez (2-4, RBI), Kyle Hess (2-5, 2 RBI), and Justin Acal (2-5, 2B, 2 RBI) all recorded multiple hits for the Pitt offense, Jayden Melendez went 1-5 with a solo homerun in the first inning. Jack Anderson recorded his fourth four-hit game of the season and first since their series-opener against Duke on March 31st. And with his performance, Noah Martinez reached base safely for the 20th consecutive game.
With his double in the series-opener against Cal, Sky Duff tied John Shultz (2008-11) for Pitt's career doubles record with 53 doubles. He is now only one double shy of becoming the career doubles benchmark for Pitt baseball. This season, Duff is the team leader in runs scored with 49 and is tied for the team lead in doubles with 14.
With his team-leading 47 walks this year, Jack Anderson is five walks away from breaking Pitt's single-season walks record. The single-season mark was previously held by Steven Shelinski Jr., who worked 51 walks during his 2013 campaign.
Duff worked a walk in the eighth inning of their series finale win over Notre Dame in early April, the 149th of his Pitt tenure, setting the program's new career record. His career total now stands at 163.
A native of Mars, PA Anderson has his name in the top three of several statistical categories for the Panthers this season. He leads the team in batting average (.323), on base percentage (.478), and walks (47), is second on the team in hits (42), third in RBI (32) , and ranks sixth in home runs (5). Anderson had a 37 game on base streak prior to the series finale against Wake Forest.
PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE
Pitt has worked 281 walks this season, they rank 13th in the country in base on balls. Jack Anderson is 12th in the country and third in the ACC with his 47 walks. Noah Martinez is fourth in all of the ACC and 17th in the country, walking 44 times. While CJ Funk is third on the team and sixth in the ACC with 43 free passes. Pitt's all-time walks leader Sky Duff is tenth in the ACC, walking 39 walks this season.
SPELLED SOKOL, WITH A "K"
Jack Sokol has struck out at least five batters in six of his starts this season and has fanned at least nine in three of those games, including a season-high 10 in seven innings against Mount St. Mary's in early March. Sokol's 59 strikeouts this season are a team high, with 19 of them being of the looking variety, ranking him ninth in the ACC for strikeouts looking.
HESS HASN'T MISSED A BEAT
After missing the first 12 games of the year with an injury, Kyle Hess has made an impact since his return to the lineup. Hess ranks second on the team in batting average (.317), third in slugging percentage (.547), and fifth in hits (44). His four triples lead the team, and put him second in all of the ACC.
