CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The battle to represent Pool C in the ACC Baseball Championship semifinals evolved into a true pitchers’ duel.
Tenth-seeded Pitt more than met the challenge, but third-seeded NC State was even better.
Wolfpack starter Reid Johnston and closer Evan Justice combined to hold the Panthers hitless over the final five innings, and NC State’s three-run second inning proved enough for a 3-2 win in Thursday night’s session finale at Truist Field.
NC State (29-15) clinched a spot opposite Georgia Tech (29-22) in Saturday’s 5 p.m. semifinal game, but will first turn its attention to Friday night’s 7 p.m. game against rival North Carolina and the chance to earn additional bragging rights after sweeping the Tar Heels during the regular season.
Pitt (23-20) completed play in this year’s championship with a 1-1 record.
The Panthers suffered the hard-luck loss despite a stellar performance by junior right-hander Matt Gilbertson (6-5), who limited NC State to four hits while going the distance and retired the final 13 Wolfpack batters of the game. Gilbertson struck out the side in the top of the ninth and finished with 10 strikeouts for the game.
But Johnston (7-2) also struck out 10 and retired the final 13 batters he faced before yielding to Justice in the top of the ninth. Justice walked leadoff hitter David Yanni, but then recorded the final three outs – including a game-ending strikeout of Brock Franks – to earn his eighth save of the year.
The Panthers grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Sky Duff led off the game with a base hit, stole second and scored on Ron Washington Jr.’s two out-double.
All three of NC State’s three runs in the decisive second inning came after Gilbertson recorded the first two outs but then issued back-to-back walks to Devonte Brown and Vojtech Mensik. Number nine hitter J.T. Jarrett followed with a triple down the left field line to score both runners, and Jarrett himself scored on a wild pitch for a 3-1 Wolfpack lead.
Pitt scored what proved to be the final run of the game in the bottom of the third when Duff singled, moved up on another base hit by Nico Popa and eventually scored on a fielder’s choice.
