Pitt Loses Series Opener at Miami
Coral Gables, Fl. – The Panthers dropped game one of their final ACC series at Miami, 5-3, on Thursday night.
Dom Popa went 2-4 tonight, recording his 16th multi-hit game of the season. Justin Fogel went 1-4 with a run scored and an RBI double in the sixth inning. Tyler Bischke would collect Pitt’s other RBI of the night on his run-scoring knock up the middle that scored Fogel from second. Jayden Melendez went 1-3 with a run scored on a wild pitch. C.J. Funk and Sebastian Pisacreta would also notch hits for the Panthers tonight.
Ryan Andrade gave the Panthers another quality start on the mound, allowing just one run on four hits over 4.2 innings while striking out six Hurricanes. Freshman Gavin Chillot entered in a big spot in the bottom of the eighth inning and got the Panthers out of a bases loaded jam to keep them in it.
Miami native, Jayden Melendez, threw out two would-be base stealers over the first three innings to keep the game tied as the series opener remained scoreless through the first four innings.
Miami broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning with a bases loaded walk. Matt Fernandez would relieve Ryan Andrade of his duties with the bases still loaded and would strand all three runners with a strikeout to end the inning. The Hurricanes led by one after five.
The Panther offense immediately responded with a three-run top of the sixth inning to take the lead. Jayden Melendez worked a one out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and would get to third on a C.J. Funk single through the right side. Melendez would dash home on a wild pitch and tie the game at one. With Funk now at second, Justin Fogel lined an RBI double into right center gap and gave the Panthers their first lead of the game. Tyler Bischke would rocket a single up the middle and into the center that drove in Fogel from second and added the Panther lead. Pitt led 3-1 through six innings.
The Hurricanes put together a three-run inning of the own, in the bottom of the seventh, and regained their lead. Pitt now trailed 4-3.
Miami added on more in the bottom of the eighth and would ultimately take the series opener 5-3.
