An explosion of unexpected offense dominated the action on Friday at Pittsburgh’s Charles Cost Field, as the 11th ranked UNC baseball team couldn’t quite keep up with the Pitt Panthers, losing 12-9. The Tar Heels tumble to 11-6 overall with a 2-2 record inside the conference after the loss. The win marks the Panthers’ second over the past week to a school ranked in the top 15, and they rise to 7-8 overall with a 2-2 mark in ACC play.
Surely this game was going to be a pitcher’s duel. Pittsburgh’s 6’7″ sophomore TJ Zeuch, coming off of an ACC Pitcher of the Week honor, didn’t give up a run last week to third-ranked Virginia, while Carolina’s Zac Gallen, also a sophomore, struck out 12 Blue Devils in his last time out.
Any way you want to look at the match-up, both guys on the mound entered Friday’s game on fire. What they ran into, however, were two line-ups each holding giant water hoses.
With the bases loaded in the top of the second inning, UNC right-fielder Tyler Ramirez, the team RBI leader, drove in three more with a double to center-field off of Zeuch to kick off the scoring and give the Tar Heels a seemingly comfy cushion.
Zac Gallen struggled to follow-up on last week’s 12 strikeout masterpiece. (UNC Athletics)
Wrong. The Panthers clawed back with a run in each of their next two trips to the plate, before getting a solo home run from second baseman Jordan Frabasilio, which tied the game and kick-started a massive six-run fourth inning for the home team. Frabasilio was crucial to Pittsburgh’s offense throughout the day, going 3-5, with the homer and an RBI.
Gallen was pulled from the game during the inning, finishing with a final line of 3.2 innings pitched, eight earned runs, three walks, and no strikeouts.
His counterpart Zeuch was not much better, lasting just four innings, but all three runs he allowed were unearned, and he did strike out seven Carolina batters.
Coach Mike Fox and his Tar Heels refused to lie down and roll over against the Panther bullpen though, immediately striking back with a two-run double by sophomore Adam Pate, who had just came into the game as a pinch-hitter in the top of the fifth.
Skye Bolt homered to drive in three runs, but it would not be enough. (UNC Athletics)
Still trailing by three heading into their half of the sixth inning, more help for UNC fell straight from the sky.
Center-fielder Skye Bolt blasted a three-run homer off of Pittsburgh reliever Ryan Campbell to give Carolina the lead following an RBI single from freshman first baseman Zack Gahagan.
Unfortunately, the Panthers still had something left in the tank, tying the game back up on a sacrifice fly off of Trent Thornton in the sixth, before their shortstop, Jordan LeBlanc, ripped a three-run single off of Thornton (0-1) with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh to again give Pittsburgh a three-run lead heading into the eighth.
That single by LeBlanc proved to be the difference, as UNC was emotionally drained after working to climb out of the early five-run hole. Closer Matt Pidich came on and worked a scoreless ninth to earn the save and clinch the victory for the Panthers.
Up Next:
The series continues on Saturday with a game time set for 3 P.M. Freshman JB Bukauskas will take the mound for the Tar Heels, looking to earn his third win of the year.
Game Notes:
- Jordan Frabasilio’s home run in the fourth inning was his fifth of the season for Pitt, leaving him just one shy of the NCAA lead.
- Skye Bolt, Landon Lassiter, and Zack Gahagan each had multiple hits for UNC.
- Trevor Kelley extended his streak of games with a relief appearance to six. He pitched 1.2 innings without giving up an earned run.
- Pittsburgh’s pitchers struck out 11 Tar Heels on the day.
