CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The closing weeks of Pitt’s regular season were admittedly tough ones, but the Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Championship offers a chance for a return to winning form.
Particularly if the Panthers follow Ron Washington Jr.’s lead.
Washington delivered a 406-foot, two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning, providing the 10th-seeded Panthers the breathing room they needed to close out a 5-3 win over sixth-seeded North Carolina in Tuesday’s session finale at Truist Field.
Pitt (23-19) snapped a seven-game losing streak and began looking ahead to Thursday night’s game vs. No. 3 seed NC State (28-15). The winner of that game will claim Pool C and advance to Saturday’s 5 p.m. semifinal.
Washington’s home run – his eighth of the season – pushed Pitt to a 5-2 lead. The Tar Heels loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth inning and pushed one run across on Tomas Frick’s RBI grounder, but Pitt closer Jordan McCrum retired UNC designated hitter Max Riemer on a called 3-2 strike to end the threat.
McCrum issued a one-out walk to Angel Zarate in the bottom of ninth but struck out Justice Thompson and retired Caleb Roberts on a high fly to left to secure his sixth save of the season.
Starting pitcher Mitch Myers (5-5) picked up the win for the Panthers, who never trailed after grabbing a 3-0 lead by the end of the third inning. Pitt made the most of five hits as three – a double by Hess, a triple by Bryce Hulett and Washington’s home run – went for extra bases.
Roberts drove in both runs for UNC (26-25) on Roberts’ two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the fifth. Starting pitcher Connor Ollio (2-2) took the loss.
This marks the second time in the last three ACC Baseball Championships that Pitt has turned back a higher seeded UNC team in pool play. The 12th-seeded Panthers reached the 2018 semifinals with a 5-4 win over a No. 1 seeded UNC squad.
