University of North Carolina Athletics
Wednesday, May 23
Durham, N.C.
7 p.m.
North Carolina
37-18
4
vs
5
Pittsburgh
29-25
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4
5
6
7
8
9
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H
E
North Carolina
2
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
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5
2
Pittsburgh
1
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2
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5
10
1
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Tar Heels Fall To Pittsburgh In ACC Baseball Championship Opener, 5-4
May 24, 2018 | Baseball
Durham, N.C. – No. 5 North Carolina lost to Pittsburgh 5-4 on Wednesday night in a back and forth game at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in its ACC Baseball Championship opener. With the loss, the Tar Heels will not be able to advance out of the group but will still play Georgia Tech on Friday at 3 p.m.
The Tar Heels jumped out to an early 2-0 on Tuesday night against Pittsburgh in their first game of the ACC Baseball Championship. After Dallas Tessar led off the game with a walk, Michael Busch put runners on the corners with a single to right field. A slow roller to first from Kyle Datres brought home Tessar for the first run of the game which was followed by a RBI single to center field from Freeman to cap off the top of the first.
Pitt would answer with a run of their own in the bottom half of the frame to cut the lead in half as the Tar Heels took a 2-1 lead in to the second inning.
In the third inning, Carolina had already tacked on one run and with the bases loaded Jackson Hesterlee launched a ball to deep center field which looked like a bases clearing hit to break open the game. But, the Pittsburgh center fielder snagged the ball on the warning track as he collided with the wall to end the half inning as he kept the Tar Heels to a 3-1 lead.
Pitt used that momentum to tack on two runs in the bottom of the third to tie the game 3-3. After giving up back-to-back doubles and a single to right field to tie the game, starter Cooper Criswell was replaced by Josh Hiatt who ended the inning for the Tar Heels.
Carolina would take the lead back in the top of the fifth inning, but only plated one run after loading with bases with no outs. After taking the 4-3 lead, Pitt tried to respond again, but Hiatt got a big strikeout with the bases loaded to end the threat.
Pitt would jump on top 5-4 after scoring two runs in the seventh inning for their first lead of the game. With two runners on and one out, Brett Daniels came on for Josh Hiatt but gave up a double down the third base line as Pitt tied the game at four. The next Pitt batter executed a perfect suicide squeeze to give Pitt their 5-4 lead.
With a runner on second in the top of the ninth inning, Brandon Riley sent a shot to center field, but it was caught at the warning track to end the game.
The Tar Heels will face Georgia Tech on Friday at 3 p.m. ET in their second game of pool play.
The Tar Heels jumped out to an early 2-0 on Tuesday night against Pittsburgh in their first game of the ACC Baseball Championship. After Dallas Tessar led off the game with a walk, Michael Busch put runners on the corners with a single to right field. A slow roller to first from Kyle Datres brought home Tessar for the first run of the game which was followed by a RBI single to center field from Freeman to cap off the top of the first.
Pitt would answer with a run of their own in the bottom half of the frame to cut the lead in half as the Tar Heels took a 2-1 lead in to the second inning.
In the third inning, Carolina had already tacked on one run and with the bases loaded Jackson Hesterlee launched a ball to deep center field which looked like a bases clearing hit to break open the game. But, the Pittsburgh center fielder snagged the ball on the warning track as he collided with the wall to end the half inning as he kept the Tar Heels to a 3-1 lead.
Pitt used that momentum to tack on two runs in the bottom of the third to tie the game 3-3. After giving up back-to-back doubles and a single to right field to tie the game, starter Cooper Criswell was replaced by Josh Hiatt who ended the inning for the Tar Heels.
Carolina would take the lead back in the top of the fifth inning, but only plated one run after loading with bases with no outs. After taking the 4-3 lead, Pitt tried to respond again, but Hiatt got a big strikeout with the bases loaded to end the threat.
Pitt would jump on top 5-4 after scoring two runs in the seventh inning for their first lead of the game. With two runners on and one out, Brett Daniels came on for Josh Hiatt but gave up a double down the third base line as Pitt tied the game at four. The next Pitt batter executed a perfect suicide squeeze to give Pitt their 5-4 lead.
With a runner on second in the top of the ninth inning, Brandon Riley sent a shot to center field, but it was caught at the warning track to end the game.
The Tar Heels will face Georgia Tech on Friday at 3 p.m. ET in their second game of pool play.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: West (3-4)
L: Hiatt, Josh (3-2)
Batting:
RBI: Datres, Kyle 1 ; Freeman, Ike 1 ; Martorano, Brandon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tessar, Dallas 1 ; Busch, Michael 1 ; Datres, Kyle 1 ; Riley, Brandon 1
SB: Datres, Kyle 1
Batting:
2B: F. Maldonado 1 ; Yanni 2 ; Cappas 1
RBI: Yanni 1 ; Washington 1 ; Banman 1 ; Cappas 1 ; MacLaren 1
SH: MacLaren 1
Base Running:
RUNS: F. Maldonado 1 ; Yanni 2 ; Washington 1 ; Parry 1
HBP: Cappas 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
1B
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
3B
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
SS/OF
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