The Pitt baseball team traveled to Fayetteville, North Carolina over the weekend to participate in the All-American Classic at Segra Stadium, home of the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, a single-A affiliate of the Houston Astros.
The Panthers picked up a pair of wins in three tries over the weekend after knocking off Ohio State and Campbell on Saturday and Sunday, but the team did drop the opener on Friday against Army.
Pitt is now 7-4 on the year and will take on High Point on Wednesday in a non-conference game, then will travel to No. 21 North Carolina for a three game weekend set to begin ACC play.
Let's take a look at how the weekend played out for Mike Bell's team.
Game One (Friday)
Army 5, Pitt 3
The Panthers turned to Friday night starter Matt Gilbertson to open the weekend, and the veteran pitched delivered another strong performance. Gilbertson tossed 6.1 innings and struck out six, walked three, allowed two earned runs on seven hits. It was a strong outing for the Panthers' ace, but his team did not give him much run support on Friday.
Pitt jumped out to a 3-0 lead, by adding runs in the second, fourth, and fifth innings, though the bats seemed to cool down after that. Tatem Levins hit his first of three home runs on the weekend to get Pitt off to an early lead in the second. The LaSalle transfer finished 2-for-4 on the day.
Jack Anderson's sacrifice fly in the fourth, and Kyle Hess' bases loaded walk in the fifth helped Pitt make it 3-0. Pitt could have broke it open there, but Levins followed up the walk by hitting into a double play to end the threat.
Army picked up two runs in the sixth off of Gilberton with a two-run single by catcher Cam Cerruto. The Black Knights took the lead with three runs off of Pitt reliever Baron Stuart in the 8th inning.
Pitt mustered just six hits for the game, as the offense could not capitalize off a strong start by Gilbertson, handing Pitt a loss to open the weekend.
Game Two (Saturday)
Pitt 6, Ohio State 5
Junior shortstop Brock Franks launched a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to give Pitt a walk-off victory over Ohio State on Saturday afternoon. It was Franks' third home run of the season, which is a surprise given that he only hit one in 2021. Franks finished 2-for-4.
Ohio State got off to an early lead in the first thanks to a fielder's choice and a sacrifice fly off of Pitt starter Logan Evans. The Penn State transfer went 5.2 innings and allowed four earned, struck out five, and did not issue a walk. It was a strong performance, but the Panthers really got some good work from relief pitcher Hayden Summers.
Summers finished the game and did not allow a run in 3.1 innings of work and struck out three to earn his first win of the season.
After falling behind 3-0, the Panthers bats came alive. Levins blasted his second home run of the season in the third. Franks doubled home a run and came home on a wild pitch in the fourth to give Pitt the lead.
Ohio State came back in the fifth to regain the advantage thanks to a two-run shot by No. 3 hitter Trey Lipsey off of Evans.
Pitt's Sky Duff hit a sac fly in the 8th to bring home freshman second basemen Tommy Tavarez in the 7th inning to help set up the dramatic game winning home run in the ninth by Franks.
Game Three (Sunday)
Pitt 11, Campbell 5
Pitt belted out 16 hits on the way to a commanding Sunday afternoon victory over Campbell University of the Big South Conference. The first seven batters in Pitt's lineup all recorded multi-hit games against the Fighting Camels.
Tatem Levins went 3-for-6 with a grand slam and six RBIs to lead the way. Sky Duff also grabbed three hits and scored a pair of runs.
Kyle Hess got things going with an RBI double to right in the first. Pitt added four runs in the third and five in the fourth inning, highlighted by Levins deep bomb to center in the fourth.
Pitt starter Billy Corcoran improved to 2-1 on the season after throwing six innings and striking out four. He did allow five runs, but pitched five scoreless innings before the Camels got to him and well after Pitt had a commanding lead. Quin Konuszewski, Brady Devreux, and CJ McKennitt all pitched a scoreless inning to help cement the win.
Bryce Hulett went to 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs. Jordan Anderson, Kyle Kess, Jack Anderson, and CJ Funk also recorded multi-hit games for the Panthers in this one.
