Panthers Shutout Yellow Jackets in Game Two to Even Series

Saturday, May 6

Atlanta, GA

6 PM

Pitt

21-23, 9-12

Georgia Tech

27-19, 9-14

Pitt

Georgia Tech

Panthers Shutout Yellow Jackets in Game Two to Even Series

5/6/2023 10:03:00 PM | Baseball

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ATLANTA, GA -- Pitt (21-23, 9-12 ACC) shutout Georgia Tech(27-19, 9-14 ACC) 5-0 in game two of their crucial series behind another dominant performance from starting pitcher Logan Evans.  Kyle Hess, Justin Acal, and Dom Popa all recorded multiple hits today for the Panthers as well.

"The story for me today, Logan Evans. He was outstanding from the get-go." said head coach Mike Bell. "His three-pitch mix was outstanding all night" Bell added. "His poise, his rhythm. He was totally under control."

Logan Evans threw seven strong innings for Pitt tonight. He struck out six batters, only allowed four hits, and did not allow a single run.  He found himself in some trouble in the later innings but was able to minimize the damage and get the ground ball when he needed to.  Evans has gone into the seventh inning in four of this last five starts, throwing seven full innings in two of those starts.

Kyle Hess highlighted the Panther offense in game two, launching a two-run shot over the trees in right field in the top of the sixth inning, he finished the day 2-5 with two RBI.  Dom Popa went 2-4 with a single and a double, while Justin Acal went 2-5 with singles in his first two at-bats.  Jack Anderson had an RBI double down the right field line in the bottom of the eighth, he ended up going 1-3 with two walks.

Justin Acal started the Pitt first inning with a single to left field, he advanced the second base following a misplay by the left fielder.  Noah Martinez grounded out to first which moved Acal over to third base, however he would be stranded there as Jack Anderson struck out to end the inning.

The Panthers had runners in scoring position again in the top of the third as Dom Popa led off the inning with a double down the left field line, his third double of the season.  Justin Acal reached on an infield single for this second hit of the game, moving Popa to third.  With runners on the corners and two out, Noah Martinez just missed an inside fastball and flew out to right to end the inning.

Pitt starting pitcher Logan Evans was dealing through the first four innings, only allowing one hit and one walk, while striking out five.

The Panthers drew first blood in the top of the fifth inning.  Dom Popa went the other way, lining a single to right field for his second hit of the game.  Anthony LaSala followed that up with a line drive single of his own, Pitt now had runners at first and second with one out and the top of the order coming up.  Sky Duff came to the dish and grounded a ball to short, in what could have been an inning ending double play.  As the second baseman was getting over to turn the double play, he slipped on the bag and made an errant throw to first. Popa scored from second base, Duff reached on the play, and LaSala was out at second.

They tacked on two more in the top of the sixth inning, as Kyle Hess sent a ball into orbit over the trees in right field.  Hess came to the plate following Jack Anderson's fourth walk of the weekend.  He launched a 2-0, two-run, 412-foot blast to put the Panthers up 3-0 after six.

Georgia Tech's Tyler Minnick led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a double, the second time all game a base runner reached past first base for the Yellow Jackets.  Logan Evans was able to induce two groundouts and sprinkle in a strikeout to escape the jam.  They threatened again in the bottom of the seventh, stringing together two singles, getting a runner on third for the first time in the game. And as he did in the previous inning, Evans was able to get a couple of groundouts and escape the inning scot-free.

Pitt added some insurance in the top of the eighth inning.  Following a Noah Martinez walk, Jack Anderson shot a ball the other way down the right field line for a double, Martinez scored all the way from first base on the play.  Hess responded with a single od his own, leaving runners at the corners with nobody out.  Johnny Long III was hit by a pitch one batter later, loading the bases with one gone.  Dom Popa struck out in the next at-bat, bringing up Anthony LaSala to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded.  The freshman worked a four-pitch walk which brought home Anderson from third, Pitt led 5-0 .

Dylan Simmons came on in relief and worked yet another scoreless frame, striking out two in the process.  He bridged the gap from starter to closer yet again, as Nash Bryan was called on in the ninth inning to close it out.  Bryan worked a flawless ninth, throwing only thirteen pitches, getting two flyouts, and one groundout as he closed out a game for the 8^th time this year.

The rubber match is set for Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.  Kyle Mosley will look to give the Panthers the series win as he will start his 11^th  game of the season.