Friday, May 12
Pittsburgh, PA
6 PM
Pitt
21-26, 9-14
8
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9
Miami
33-16, 15-10
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Pittsburgh
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Pitt Drops Series-Opener To No. 11 Miami
5/12/2023 10:50:00 PM | Baseball
PITTSBURGH, PA -- The Pitt Panthers (21-26, 9-14 ACC) dropped game one of their three game set to #11 Miami (33-16, 15-10 ACC) on Friday evening 9-8. This is second consecutive game the Panthers have lost 9-8 while having the tying run on base in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Panthers showed no quit tonight after being down early, scoring multiple runs in three out of the last four innings. Jack Anderson (6), Kyle Hess (7), and Jayden Melendez (9) all smacked home runs for Pitt tonight. Anderson and Hess doing so on back-to-back pitches in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Pitt's hits leader Noah Martinez went 2-5 this evening, extending his on base streak to 22 games, reaching base in 45 out of 47 games this season. Prior to his solo shot in the sixth, Kyle Hess shot an RBI double into the left centerfield gap in the bottom of the fourth, he finished the day 2-5 with 2 RBI. Brett Heckert pinch-hit in a big situation in the bottom of the eighth and launched a two-run triple off the top of the left field wall, almost leaving the yard.
Pitt starter Jack Sokol walked the first two batters he faced in the top of the first inning, but would come right back and strike out two of next three to get out of the inning.
Noah Martinez sent a two-out double to centerfield in bottom of first, Jack Anderson would strand him at second as he struck out to end the inning.
Sokol induced a fly out and a ground out to start the bottom of the second, Miami would go on to score five runs with two outs. Jason Torres started the two-out offense with a single up the middle, which was followed up by a two-run shot by Carlos Perez making it 2-0 Miami early. The Hurricane's best hitter Yohandy Morales padded their lead with an opposite-field three-run shot to right three batters later. Pitt trailed 5-0 after two.
Miami threatened again in the top of the third, loading the bases with nobody out. Pitt was able to turn a 6-4-3 double play, however runner on third for Miami scored on the play. Miami led 6-0 after three innings.
Following a Jayden Melendez walk and a Jack Anderson fielder's choice, Kyle Hess lined a two-out opposite-field double into the gap that scored Anderson all the way from first. Panthers trailed 6-1 after four.
Sky Duff led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single up the middle, his 50th hit of the year. Jack Anderson came to the dish following two quick outs and blasted a two-run shot to dead center, cutting into the Miami lead. On the very next pitch senior Kyle Hess launched his seventh home run of the season over the trees in left center, cutting the Miami lead to three.
Miami came right back and added two runs of their own on a Dominic Pitelli two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning, extending their lead to 9-5.
Pitt kept battling though, cutting the deficit back to three in the bottom half of the inning. Anthony Lasala worked a one-out walk, advancing to second on a wild pitch with Sky Duff at the plate. Duff would strikeout, bringing up catcher Jayden Melendez with two-outs. Melendez sent his ninth home run of the season high into the sky and well over the left field wall, cutting the deficit back to three. Jayden Melendez is now tied for second on the team in home runs this season with Noah Martinez (9), CJ Funk still holds that crown with 12 long balls. Pitt trailed 9-6 heading into the eighth inning.
Quin Konuszewski, Holden Phelps, and Nash Bryan all blanked the Hurricanes in the final three innings, keeping the Panthers within striking distance down.
CJ Funk walked, and Justin Acal was hit by pitch, as the Panthers attempted to mount a comeback in the bottom of the eighth inning. Pitt brought in senior Brett Heckert with one out to pinch-hit for leftfielder Dom Popa, he was 5-18 in his pinch-hit appearances so far this season. Heckert almost left the yard as he launched a pinch-hit triple off the top of the wall, scoring Funk and Acal and cutting the Hurricane lead to one. Pitt trailed 9-8 as they went into the last frame.
Pitt had the heart of the order up, Melendez, Martinez, and Anderson as they were down to their last three outs. Jayden Melendez struck out and Noah Martinez lined out to deep left, bringing up Jack Anderson with two outs. Anderson worked a walk, his team-leading 48th of the year as Cam Barto would pinch-run for him in the bottom of the ninth for the second consecutive game. Kyle Hess who had a home run and two RBI in this one came to the plate with the tying run on base. He bounced out to second and ended yet another heartbreaking for this Panther team.
Game two is slated for 3 p.m. tomorrow afternoon. Senior day festivities are set to start at 2:35, we will be honoring nine seniors.
RHP Logan Evans will make his seventh start for Pitt. He will be opposed by RHP Alejandro Rosario from Miami.
The Panthers showed no quit tonight after being down early, scoring multiple runs in three out of the last four innings. Jack Anderson (6), Kyle Hess (7), and Jayden Melendez (9) all smacked home runs for Pitt tonight. Anderson and Hess doing so on back-to-back pitches in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Pitt's hits leader Noah Martinez went 2-5 this evening, extending his on base streak to 22 games, reaching base in 45 out of 47 games this season. Prior to his solo shot in the sixth, Kyle Hess shot an RBI double into the left centerfield gap in the bottom of the fourth, he finished the day 2-5 with 2 RBI. Brett Heckert pinch-hit in a big situation in the bottom of the eighth and launched a two-run triple off the top of the left field wall, almost leaving the yard.
Pitt starter Jack Sokol walked the first two batters he faced in the top of the first inning, but would come right back and strike out two of next three to get out of the inning.
Noah Martinez sent a two-out double to centerfield in bottom of first, Jack Anderson would strand him at second as he struck out to end the inning.
Sokol induced a fly out and a ground out to start the bottom of the second, Miami would go on to score five runs with two outs. Jason Torres started the two-out offense with a single up the middle, which was followed up by a two-run shot by Carlos Perez making it 2-0 Miami early. The Hurricane's best hitter Yohandy Morales padded their lead with an opposite-field three-run shot to right three batters later. Pitt trailed 5-0 after two.
Miami threatened again in the top of the third, loading the bases with nobody out. Pitt was able to turn a 6-4-3 double play, however runner on third for Miami scored on the play. Miami led 6-0 after three innings.
Following a Jayden Melendez walk and a Jack Anderson fielder's choice, Kyle Hess lined a two-out opposite-field double into the gap that scored Anderson all the way from first. Panthers trailed 6-1 after four.
Sky Duff led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single up the middle, his 50th hit of the year. Jack Anderson came to the dish following two quick outs and blasted a two-run shot to dead center, cutting into the Miami lead. On the very next pitch senior Kyle Hess launched his seventh home run of the season over the trees in left center, cutting the Miami lead to three.
Miami came right back and added two runs of their own on a Dominic Pitelli two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning, extending their lead to 9-5.
Pitt kept battling though, cutting the deficit back to three in the bottom half of the inning. Anthony Lasala worked a one-out walk, advancing to second on a wild pitch with Sky Duff at the plate. Duff would strikeout, bringing up catcher Jayden Melendez with two-outs. Melendez sent his ninth home run of the season high into the sky and well over the left field wall, cutting the deficit back to three. Jayden Melendez is now tied for second on the team in home runs this season with Noah Martinez (9), CJ Funk still holds that crown with 12 long balls. Pitt trailed 9-6 heading into the eighth inning.
Quin Konuszewski, Holden Phelps, and Nash Bryan all blanked the Hurricanes in the final three innings, keeping the Panthers within striking distance down.
CJ Funk walked, and Justin Acal was hit by pitch, as the Panthers attempted to mount a comeback in the bottom of the eighth inning. Pitt brought in senior Brett Heckert with one out to pinch-hit for leftfielder Dom Popa, he was 5-18 in his pinch-hit appearances so far this season. Heckert almost left the yard as he launched a pinch-hit triple off the top of the wall, scoring Funk and Acal and cutting the Hurricane lead to one. Pitt trailed 9-8 as they went into the last frame.
Pitt had the heart of the order up, Melendez, Martinez, and Anderson as they were down to their last three outs. Jayden Melendez struck out and Noah Martinez lined out to deep left, bringing up Jack Anderson with two outs. Anderson worked a walk, his team-leading 48th of the year as Cam Barto would pinch-run for him in the bottom of the ninth for the second consecutive game. Kyle Hess who had a home run and two RBI in this one came to the plate with the tying run on base. He bounced out to second and ended yet another heartbreaking for this Panther team.
Game two is slated for 3 p.m. tomorrow afternoon. Senior day festivities are set to start at 2:35, we will be honoring nine seniors.
RHP Logan Evans will make his seventh start for Pitt. He will be opposed by RHP Alejandro Rosario from Miami.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ziehl, G (7-4)
L: Sokol, Jack (6-4)
S: Walters, A (8)
Batting:
HR: Morales, Y 1 ; Pitelli, D. 1 ; Perez, C 1
RBI: Morales, Y 3 ; Pitelli, D. 2 ; Torres, J 1 ; Perez, C 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Kayfus, C 1 ; Villegas, E 1 ; Morales, Y 1 ; Cyr, B 3 ; Pitelli, D. 1 ; Torres, J 1 ; Perez, C 1
PO: Long, J 1
Batting:
2B: Martinez, Noah 1 ; Hess, Kyle 1
3B: Heckert, Brett 1
HR: Melendez, Jayden 1 ; Anderson, Jack 1 ; Hess, Kyle 1
RBI: Melendez, Jayden 2 ; Anderson, Jack 2 ; Hess, Kyle 2 ; Heckert, Brett 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Duff, Sky 1 ; Melendez, Jayden 1 ; Anderson, Jack 2 ; Hess, Kyle 1 ; Funk, C.J. 1 ; Acal, Justin 1 ; LaSala, Anthony 1
HBP: Acal, Justin 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
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5
R
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H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
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