Weekend recap: Walk off grand slam gives Pitt a series win
ACC Coastal Standings
1. Miami 16-7, 31-12
2. Virginia Tech 13-8, 30-10
3. Virginia 14-9, 33-11
4. Georgia Tech 12-11, 27-17
5. Pitt 10-10, 24-17
6. North Carolina 8-13, 24-17
7. Duke 8-13, 18-22
Weekly recap
April 29: North Carolina A&T, Win 10-0
April 30: North Carolina A&T, Loss 9-5
April 30: North Carolina A&T, Win 13-9 (10)
The Pitt baseball team had a light week. The Panthers did not have a midweek game on the schedule, and had the weekend off from the grind of the ACC. Pitt welcomed North Carolina A&T to town for a three game set, and while the Panthers won the series it was a little closer than expected.
In the opener on Friday night, the story of the game was starter Matt Gilberton. The senior right-hander tossed a complete game in a game that wad called after eight innings. He allowed just two hits, struck out 12, and walked none in a complete game shutout. Gilbertson improved to 7-2 on the season and lowered his ERA to 2.61 on the season.
Pitt struck for three runs in the bottom of the second to set the tone. Bryce Hulett launched a home run, and Jeffrey Wehler drove home a pair on a single. The Panthers’ bats quieted down for a few innings, before surging late in the game.
CJ Funk returned to the lineup and brought home a run on an RBI single in the sixth to extend the lead. Three bases loaded walks and a Tommy Tavarez two-run single put the game out of reach. Wehler and Ron Washington Jr. each produced multi-hit games.
The Aggies stole game two from the Panthers as a part of a Saturday double header at Cost Field. They tagged starter Billy Corcoran for five runs, three earned in six innings of work. Corcoran still struck out seven and did not issue a walk, but it was an off game for the Pitt right hander who was the reigning ACC Pitcher of the Week.
Pitt held a 4-2 lead through five innings, but the Aggies benefitted from a two run error to take the lead and led 5-4 after six. North Carolina A&T eventually built a 9-4 advantage. Tatem Levins doubled home a run in the ninth, but the rally was short lived.
In game two of the double header, Pitt got back to its winning ways, but it was a little closer than Mike Bell likely would have preferred. The Panthers needed a walk-off grand slam by Jack Anderson in the bottom of the tenth to secure the win.
The Aggies jumped on Pitt starter Hayden Summers for five runs in the top of the first setting Pitt in a hole. Ben Dragani relieved him and went five innings and did now allow a run on two hits. His steadying presence allowed for the Pitt bats to get going.
Ron Washington Jr. launched a two-run home run in the bottom of the first. Wehler and Levins brought home three runs in the second to knot things back up, but the game proved to be back and forth from there.
Washington’s double in the sixth gave Pitt the lead, but NC A&T’s Canyon Brown’s two run shot tied it back up in the 8th, and eventually the Aggies went ahead. Bryce Hulett’s double forced extras.
North Carolina A&T took the lead in the top of the tenth, but Pitt sent seven batters to the plate in the bottom half. Luke Lambert’s RBI single tied the game before Anderson’s heroics.
Top hitter of the week
Ron Washington Jr.
The Pitt slugger went 7-for-15 in the three game set against North Carolina A&T. He doubled in all three games, and hit his 11th home run of the season in the series finale. Washington Jr. is hitting .314 on the year and has driven in 31 runs.
Top pitcher of the week
Matt Gilberton
It was an eight-inning, complete game shutout for Gilbertson on Friday night. He was dominant and overpowered the Aggies all game long with 12 strikeouts and no walks. On the year he has 72 strikeouts and 10 walks in 72.1 innings pitched.
Getting healthier
After the injury bug hit the Pitt team in recent weeks, we’ve seen the Panthers get closer to full strength. CJ Funk, the team’s right fielder returned to the lineup this weekend and produced four hits in three games. At this point, only center fielder Kyle Hess and third basemen Sky Duff remain out of the lineup.
The week ahead
Tuesday May 3: Oakland, 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday May 4: Oakland, 3:00 p.m.
Friday May 6: Duke, 6:00 p.m.
Saturday May 7: Duke, 3:00 p.m.
Sunday May 8: Duke, 1:00 p.m.
Pitt continues a lengthy homestead with five more games at Cost Field this week. Pitt will host a mini two game series against Oakland on Tuesday and Wednesday. Oakland holds a 20-21 record and a 10-8 mark in Horizon League play. The Panthers will then host a three-game divisional series against Duke over the weekend. The Blue Devils are in last place in the ACC Coastal, but have won five of their past six against ACC foes.