Pitt
Miami
Pitt Hosts Miami in ACC Showdown
4/13/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Pitt Game Notes
PITTSBURGH - The University of Pittsburgh baseball team will return home this weekend, hosting ACC Coastal Division foe Miami in a three-game series at Charles L. Cost Field.
The three-game stand will begin Friday at 6 p.m. with game two to follow on Saturday at 3 p.m. and the series finale set for Sunday at 1 p.m.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Game One
- Live Stats: GameTracker
- TV: ACC Network Extra
- Live Stats: GameTracker
- TV: ACC Network Extra
- Live Stats: GameTracker
- TV: ACC Network Extra
LEADING OFF
Pitt (14-15, 6-9 ACC) returns to Charles L. Cost Field for a crucial three-game tilt with Coastal Division rival Miami (15-18, 7-8 ACC) on Easter Weekend. The Panthers will look to propel themselves back up the ACC standings after a sweep at the hands of No. 22 Virginia on the road last weekend. The game will be the first since dropping a close 4-3 loss to the Cavaliers on Sunday, as Pitt went without a mid-week outing this week.
Southpaw Josh Mitchell will get the call in game one for the Panthers, as the redshirt junior brings in a mark of 1-3 and a 3.73 ERA to the outing. Mitchell has tossed 41.0 innings, allowing 17 earned runs off 42 hits and 14 walks, fanning 35. Freshman Dan Hammer will make his first ACC start of the year on Saturday, holding a record of 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA. In his 30.0 innings, he's allowed 15 earned runs off 32 hits and 13 walks, whiffing 26 batters. Ace Josh Falk will get the call in the finale, boasting a mark of 3-3 with a team-leading 2.50 ERA. Falk has surrendered just 15 earned runs off 37 hits and 17 walks, recording 50 strikeouts in his 54.0 innings of work. Falk's ERA ranks 11th in the ACC, while the senior ranks eighth in strikeouts, second in innings pitched and sixth in opponent batting average (.194).
Offensively, the Panthers continued to struggle at Virginia, being outscored by the Cavaliers 21-6. Pitt's team average of .223 ranks 13th in the ACC, above just Miami (.211). Alex Amos leads the way both overall (.258) in and ACC play (.255). Third baseman Nick Banman paces the Panthers with 19 RBIs, while Caleb Parry (16), P.J. DeMeo (12), Amos (10), Nico Popa (10) and Frank Maldonado (10) have all contributed double-digit efforts.
SCOUTING MIAMI
The Hurricanes (15-18, 7-8) enter the weekend on a two-game losing streak and 5-5 in the previous 10 games. Last weekend, Miami claimed a series win against Duke, before dropping a game to in-state rival No. 29 Florida Gulf Coast by a score of 5-4 Wednesday, April 12.
Miami has improved their offensive game during conference play. Junior Carl Chester leads the team in batting average (.311), hits (19), doubles (6), RBIs (14) and slugging percentage (.459) against ACC opponents. The Hurricanes have frustrated teams with their speed this season, ranking sixth in the ACC with 38 stolen bases for the season. Sophomore Romy Gonzalez leads the team in stolen bases (10), including four in conference action.
Right-hander Jesse Lepore will get the start Friday for Miami. The junior owns a 1-4 record with a 5.27 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 42.2 innings pitched. Jeb Bargfeldt will continue his strong season with the start on Saturday. The left-hander boats a 3-2 record and a team-leading 1.88 ERA. Bargfeldt has frustrated batters this year, only allowing a .213 clip against him, while also striking out 37. The junior also leads the team in earned runs allowed (9) in 43 innings pitched. Junior Michael Mediavilla will conclude the series on Sunday, bringing a 3-4 record, a 4.62 ERA, and 33 strikeouts in 39 innings pitched.
SERIES WITH MIAMI
The games will be the 13th, 14th, and 15th meetings between the two programs all-time. The Panthers will look for their first win against the Hurricanes this weekend, as Miami owns a 12-0 record against Pitt all-time.
Last season, the Hurricanes swept the three game series between the programs. The first two games of the series were close affairs, with both games decided by one run. The second game was a 4-3 loss that extended into the 11th inning.
WHO'S STREAKING
Sophomore David Yanni brings his longest hit-steak of the season into the weekend, sitting at three. Senior P.J. DeMeo sits at two games, while redshirt juniors Caleb Parry, and Frank Maldonado, and junior Kaylor Kulina begin new hit streaks at one.
Maldanado brings his season-high and team-leading 14-game reached-base streak into the series. Kulina sits at eight and Yanni is at six. Sophomore Yaya Chentouf's streak of 11 games was snapped against Virginia last weekend. Parry also brings a six-game reached-base streak of six game, while he attempts to get back to his team leading 14-game mark from earlier this season.
INSIDE THE STANDINGS
The weekend will be a big one for both squads in the ACC standings, as Miami enters the outings third in the Coastal Division with Pit tied for fourth with Virginia Tech and Duke. In the overall standings, Miami is tied for fifth with the Panthers tied for sixth. The top 12 teams, regardless of division, will qualify for the 2017 ACC Baseball Tournament in Louisville.
UP NEXT
The Panthers will travel to State College for a mid-week matchup against in-state rival Penn State April 18. Pitt will then return to Charles L. Cost Field for a second mid-week match against Kent State April 19 before taking on ACC opponent No. 5 North Carolina April 21-23.
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