Big Sixth Inning Carries Pitt Past Georgia Tech

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Eleventh-seeded Pitt exploded for eight runs in the top of the sixth inning and went on to down No. 7 seed Georgia Tech 12-6 in the opening game of the 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Championship on Tuesday at Truist Field.

Back-to-back homers by Ron Washington Jr. and Bryce Hulett keyed the Panthers as they sent 12 men to the plate and collected eight base hits in the sixth while rallying from a 6-2 deficit.

Washington finished the day 2-for-4 while driving home four runs, and Jeffrey Wehler collected three hits with three RBI for the Panthers, who bounced back strong after suffering a three-game sweep at the hands of the Yellow Jackets in last weekend’s regular-season series finale.

Pitt (28-26) gets right back into tournament action Wednesday morning versus second-seeded Louisville (38-16-1). The winner will earn a spot in Saturday’s 5 p.m. semifinal game. Georgia Tech (32-22) and Louisville are set to meet Thursday at 11 a.m.

The Panthers took two of three from the Cardinals in the early-April series between the teams in Pittsburgh. Georgia Tech and Louisville did not meet during the regular season.

Matt Gilbertson (9-3) worked the first five innings on the mound and picked up the win for Pitt, and the Panthers received a stellar effort in relief from Jonathan Bautista. Entering the game with a four-run lead in the bottom of the sixth, Bautista pitched the final four innings to earn his first career save. Bautista allowed only two hits and walked one batter.

Tim Borden II hit his 18th home run of the year and added an RBI double, and Tres Gonzalez had a two-run single to cap a three-run third inning for the Yellow Jackets. Sam Crawford (0-1), the second of seven Georgia Tech pitchers, took the loss on the mound.

2022 ACC BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

May 24-29 at Truist Field, Charlotte, N.C.

POOL A – #1 Virginia Tech, #8 North Carolina, #12 Clemson

POOL B – #2 Louisville, #7 Georgia Tech, #11 Pitt

POOL C – #3 Miami, #6 Wake Forest, #10 NC State

POOL D – #4 Notre Dame, #5 Virginia, #9 Florida State

Tuesday, May 24

No. 11 Pitt 12, No. 7 Georgia Tech 6

No. 10 NC State No. 6 Wake Forest, 3 p.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)

No. 12 Clemson vs. No. 8 North Carolina, 7 p.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)

Wednesday, May 25

No. 2 Louisville vs. No. 11 Pitt, 11 a.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)

No. 9 Florida State vs. No. 5 Virginia, 3 p.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)

No. 3 Miami vs. No. 10 NC State, 7 p.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)

Thursday, May 26

No. 7 Georgia Tech vs. No. 2 Louisville, 11 a.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)

No. 4 Notre Dame vs. No. 9 Florida State, 3 p.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)

No. 1 Virginia Tech vs. No. 12 Clemson, 7 p.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)

Friday, May 27

No. 5 Virginia vs. No. 4 Notre Dame, 11 a.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)

No. 6 Wake Forest vs. No. 3 Miami, 3 p.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)

No. 8 North Carolina vs. No. 1 Virginia Tech, 7 p.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)

Saturday, May 28

Pool A Winner vs. Pool D Winner, 1 p.m. (ACCN/ACCN Extra)

Pool B Winner vs. Pool C Winner, 5 p.m. (ACCN/ACCN Extra)

Sunday, May 29

ACC Championship, Noon (ESPN2/ACCN Extra)