Pitt Tops No. 8 Seed Notre Dame in ACC Tournament Opener

Wednesday, May 24

Durham, NC

11 AM

Pitt

24-30

Notre Dame

30-23

Pitt

Notre Dame

Pitt Tops No. 8 Seed Notre Dame in ACC Tournament Opener

5/24/2023 6:06:00 PM | Baseball

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DURHAM, NC -- The Pitt Panthers took down the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in game one of their pool play round in the ACC Baseball Championships on Wednesday afternoon 9-5.  The Panthers blasted a season high five home runs in their winning effort today, three of which led off an inning.  In Sky Duff's case however, his led off the entire game.

Pitt improves its all-time ACC Tournament record to 6-3 with the win, they have won three of their last four postseason games.

Sky Duff, Justin Acal, Noah Martinez, Kyle Hess, and Dom Popa all hit long balls for Pitt this afternoon.  Prior to their five home run effort today, the most the Panthers hit this season was four on March 25^th against Virginia Tech.  They have hit multiple home runs in 23 games this season.

Eight of the nine Panthers in the lineup this afternoon recorded a hit.  Pitt's 1-2 punch at the top of the order in Sky Duff (3-4, BB) and Jayden Melendez (3-5) went a combined 6-9 today, reaching base a combined seven times.  Kyle Hess (2-4, HR, BB) recorded his team-leading 19^th multiple-hit game of the season as Sky Duff notched his fifth three-hit game of the year, tying a team high.  And Junior outfielder Dom Popa hit his first career home run, he's recorded five hits in his last four games.

The Panther bullpen showed up when they needed it most, allowing just one run in 4.2 innings of work.  Dylan Simmonsthrew 3.1 innings in relief today, allowing just one run on five hits, while striking out four batters. Arguably one of his best outings of the season.  Nash Bryan came in late in the game, as he has all year, and shut the door in the final innings as he earned his eighth save of the year.

Sky Duff led off this game with a home run to center field, his second time leading off a game with a home run this season, the first being in their series opener at Georgia Tech. Jayden Melendez came up in the very next at-bat and singled up the middle. He would be forced out at second on a fielder's choice groundout by Noah Martinez.  Martinez would advance to second two pitches later on a wild pitch and was brought home on a Jack Anderson RBI single up the middle to put the Panthers up 2-0 early. Notre Dame tacked on one in the bottom half of the inning, The Panthers led 2-1 after one.

Justin Acal then led off the top of the second inning with a solo home run of his own, his 10^th home run of the season and Pitt's second leadoff home run in as many innings.

Notre Dame added a pair of runs in the bottom third on a triple and a double steal to knot the game at three apiece after three innings of play.

Pitt got a little two-out rally going in the top of the fourth.  Following two flyouts, the 1-2 punch of Duff and Melendez got the Panthers back on track with back-to-back two-out singles.  Noah Martinez came up and launched a full count, two-out, three-run blast into the seats in right field to put the Panthers back on top 6-3.  Martinez is tied for the team lead in home runs and has homered in four of his last five games. Pitt added another run in the top of the fifth as Justin Acal grounded into a double play which scored Kyle Hess from third. Pitt led 7-3.

The home run parade kept marching on in the top of the seventh as lefties Kyle Hess and Dom Popa each sent solo blasts into right field.  The Panthers led off an inning with a home run for the third time on the afternoon as Kyle Hess sent his solo shot over the seats and onto the walkway in right field.  With two outs, Dom Popa launched his first career home run and the Panther's fifth home run of the game into the seats in right center. Pitt led 9-4 after 7.

Nash Bryan came in with two outs in the bottom of the eighth and earned his eighth save in a Panther uniform.

Pitt will take on the No. 1 team in the country Wake Forest tomorrow morning, May 25, at 11 a.m. The projected starters are RHP Logan Evans for Pitt and ACC Pitcher Of the Year RHP Rhett Lowder for Wake.