It took longer than expected, but when all was said and done, the Pittsburgh Panthers earned a 3-2 home victory over the 11th ranked UNC baseball team at Charles Cost Field, in a low-scoring contest where neither team ever led by more than one run. Pitt clinches the series with the win and improves to 8-9 overall with a 3-3 record against conference opponents, while the Tar Heels slide to 12-7 overall and into a tie with the Panthers in the ACC standings at 3-3.
Pinch-hitter Eric Hess hit a walk-off single off of Spencer Trayner (1-2) in the bottom of the tenth, driving in third baseman Ron Sherman to break a 2-2 tie and hand Pittsburgh their first ACC series win of the season. Hobie Harris (1-1) picked up the win for finishing the game with 1.2 scoreless innings of relief.
For the second straight day, pitching ruled the afternoon, with neither offense able to mount much of an attack. In their previous three losses, UNC allowed 34 runs combined, so even with the loss this game gave a welcome sign for the Carolina staff.
Injuries have deprived the Tar Heels of two of their best pitchers, reliever Reilly Hovis and starter Benton Moss, for most of the early part of 2015. As a result, junior Trent Thornton returned to the closer role he held during the fantastic 2013 campaign and has picked up a team leading three saves in the process.
Earning the start for UNC was Trent Thornton, who had been serving as the closer temporarily. (UNC Athletics)
With the series on the line Sunday, Coach Mike Fox decided it was time for Thornton to help out in the starting rotation once again.
The fearless right-hander certainly rewarded his coach for making that decision, holding the Panthers to just one unearned run and one hit over five innings, however he was denied a chance at earning the win due to the lack of run support.
Pitt got the first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning, after Thornton’s third walk of the inning to shortstop Charles LeBlanc came with the bases loaded. An error by Carolina first baseman Zack Gahagan earlier in the inning kept the Panthers alive, and they were able to score despite not having a hit in the frame.
Quebec-born junior Marc Berube had the Tar Heel hitters scared to step up to the plate for more reasons than one. For seven innings he kept UNC’s bats mostly at bay, striking out seven and allowing just one run on five hits. On the other hand, he also hit four batters with pitches.
Left-fielder Landon Lassiter drove in a pair of RBI for the Tar Heels. (UNC Athletics)
Refusing to be shut-out, Carolina left-fielder Landon Lassiter found the chink in Berube’s armor, driving in Elijah Sutherland with a two-out single in the top of the seventh inning that tied the score late.
A sacrifice fly by Panthers’ third baseman Ron Sherman off of Trevor Kelley in the bottom of the seventh gave the lead right back to Pittsburgh, after Kelley came on to get freshman Jason Morgan out of a jam.
Kelley provided a 1-2-3 eighth inning for the second consecutive day to give his team a chance to rally from one run down in the top of the ninth.
And again it was Lassiter coming through for the Tar Heels, with his one-out sacrifice fly in the ninth scoring freshman Brian Miller and tying the game at two apiece off of Pitt reliever Hobie Harris.
Extra innings were needed when Kelley set the Panthers down in order in the ninth, but ultimately Spencer Trayner and the rest of the Carolina team were unable to step up at the end.
Up Next:
A short return home awaits the Tar Heels, as they will host Davidson at Boshamer Stadium on Tuesday, before they head to Atlanta at the end of the week for a three game series with Georgia Tech. First pitch is set for 3 P.M.
Game Notes:
- UNC second baseman Elijah Sutherland, making just his second start of the season, reached base all three times he faced Berube.
- Trevor Kelley’s incredible streak of relief appearances for the Tar Heels was extended to eight games, and he did not allow an earned run, shrinking his ERA to 1.08.
- On a crazy play in the bottom of the sixth, Berube threw a wild pitch, sending UNC’s Logan Warmoth racing towards home plate, but the ball took a perfect bounce off the backstop right back to Pitt catcher Manny Pazos, who tagged Warmoth out to save a run.
- Pitt head coach Joe Jordano was ejected in the ninth for arguing balls and strikes.
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