Anthony Vilar bats during Miami s game against Duke on April 3 at Mark Light Field. Photo credit: Alex Carnochan
The Hurricanes got off to an encouraging 4-0 start Sunday afternoon versus the Pittsburgh Panthers, but they ultimately fell 12-5 in a blowout loss, resulting in a weekend series sweep.
Miami came into the contest with a vengeance, looking to pounce on the Panthers after dropping Friday and Saturday’s games.
In the top half of the second, the Canes did just that and cracked the scoreboard with a four-run frame. Christian Del Castillo led off the inning with a two-bagger perfectly placed in the right-center field gap. He was then brought in to score on an RBI knock from Alex Toral. However, the loudest swing of the inning came off the bat of Dominic Pitelli, who crushed a three-run home run over the right field wall to blow the game open for Miami at 4-0.
The Hurricanes celebrate after sweeping Duke on Sunday, April 4 at Mark Light Field. Photo credit: Treasure Wilson
The Hurricanes have won six consecutive games and eight of their last nine total matchups. UM now finds themselves back in the thick of an Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division pennant race as they enter the back nine of ACC play. With an opportunity to further solidify its status as a conference contender, Miami will visit Charles L. Cost Field to face the Pittsburgh Panthers, a team that has cooled off after a fast start.
While No. 18 UM (17-8, 10-7 ACC) is fresh off a home sweep over Duke and an 8-3 win against Florida International, the No. 24 Panthers have slipped since sweeping Florida State in February to start 6-1, currently carrying a 14-10 overall record and a 9-9 mark in conference. Pitt enters the weekend having dropped its last two ACC series, as well as six of its last nine individual games. Yet they feature plenty of statistical threats on the mound
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State (2-3, 0-2 ACC) fell for the second straight game to Pitt (5-1, 2-0), dropping Saturday’s game at Dick Howser Stadium 7-2 in front of 1,605. Pitt’s Matt Gilbertson (2-0) struck out 10 batters in six innings, and the Panther bullpen struck out six over the final three frames. BASEBALL MEDIA CENTER + INTERVIEW LINKS The Seminole bats were livelier than in the series opener, a 1-0 loss, notching 10 hits Saturday evening. FSU’s two runs came on Reese Albert’s double off the top of the centerfield wall, a play that was originally scored a three-run home run. Carson Montgomery (0-1) lasted just one inning, walking three and allowing a hit. Both runs against him were unearned. Pitt led 7-0 before Albert’s two-run double in the eighth inning. Wyatt Crowell and Andrew Armstrong made their first appearances on the mound for the Seminoles. Crowell entered in relief of Montgomery and struck out a batter in 1.2 innings, allowing one unearned run. He als