Panthers Clinch Series Win Over No. 8 Florida State

Saturday, May 11

Pittsburgh, PA

3 PM

Pitt

23-25, 8-18

Florida State

36-12, 14-11

Florida State

Pittsburgh

Panthers Clinch Series Win Over No. 8 Florida State

5/12/2024 9:43:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game 2 Box Score Game 3 Box Score Photo Gallery

PITTSBURGH – After resuming game two in the top of the sixth inning on Sunday afternoon, the Panthers clinched their first ACC series of the season with their 9-7 victory over the No. 8 Seminoles. Pitt would then fall in the series finale, 15-4.

Game two

Over the span of two days but just one game, Justin Fogel would launch two home runs to right field and drive in four runs as he finished game two going 3-5 with two HRs, four RBI and three runs scored. Jake Kendro drove in two clutch runs before play was suspended on Saturday on a two-out opposite field single to right. Jayden Melendez would also drive in two runs, going 1-3 with a walk and a HBP.

Jack Sokol earned his team-leading sixth win of the year as he allowed just three runs over five innings. Matthew Fernandez and Phil Fox combined for four innings when play resumed on Sunday and held the Panthers lead.

Justin Fogel got the Panthers on the board early in Saturday's contest with a three-run shot in the bottom of the first inning. Dom Popa walked, and C.J. Funk singled to left which put runners at first and second with two outs for Fogel. The leftfielder lifted a hanging breaking ball over the right field wall to put the Panthers up 3-0 after one.

The Panthers added another and extended their lead to four in the bottom of the second. After two quick outs, Dom Popa laced a triple down the left field line and put himself in scoring position. Luke Cantwell would work a walk and the Panthers would runners at the corners with two outs. Jayden Melendez lined an RBI single over the shortstops head and into left center to give the Panthers a four-run lead after two.

Florida State cut their deficit in the half on a two-run homer in the top of the third inning. The Seminoles added one more in the fifth inning but the Panthers still led, 4-3.

Pitt tacked on two more runs in the bottom half of the fifth and led 6-3 after five thanks to a two-run single by Jake Kendro. Justin Fogel led off the inning with a single and Zuckerman would reach on a hit-by-pitch to put two runners on. They found themselves in scoring position for Kendro who lined a two-run single the other way, into right, and added to the Panther lead.

The game would suspended in the top of the sixth inning due to inclement weather with play resuming on Sunday afternoon and Pitt holding a 6-3 lead.

When play would resume, the Seminoles scored two quick runs and cut the Panther deficit to one. Pitt responded with a three-run bottom of the seventh to put this game out of reach.

Justin Fogel led off the inning with a solo home run, his second of the game. Ryan Zuckerman laced a single to left and would score two batters later after advancing on three wild pitches. Pitt loaded the bases on a walk and two hit-by-pitches and would score their third run of the inning when Jayden Melendez got plunked with two outs. Pitt led 9-5 after seven.

Florida State hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the ninth inning but the Panthers would hold on and clinch their first ACC series of the season.

Series finale

C.J. Funk hit his fifth home run of the week in the bottom of the third inning. He went 2-2 with a home run, three RBI, two runs scored and a walk. Luke Cantwell collected his second multi-hit game of the series and third of the week going 2-3 with a double and two runs scored.

Ethan Firoved struck out six of the 12 batters he faced over his 2.1 innings in the early part of the series finale. He allowed just one earned run during his outing.

The Seminoles scored eight runs on eight hits in the top of the first inning, jumping out to an 8-0 lead.

In the bottom half of the inning, C.J. Funk would get Pitt on the board with an RBI double to left center that scored Cantwell from second.

Florida State added to their lead and scored one more in the top of the third inning. In the bottom of the third, C.J. Funk struck again, this time hitting an opposite field two-run home run over the right field wall. Funk had driven all three of the Panthers runs on the day. Pitt trailed 9-3.

The Seminoles scored two more runs but the Panthers would respond again. Tyler Bischke drove in Funk on an RBI sacrifice fly to right center making it a 11-4 ballgame.

Florida State added four more runs over the last two inning as Pitt would fall in the series finale 15-4.