After Wednesday’s shocking 10-2 loss to FIU, Miami turned their attention to their upcoming series against the University of Pittsburgh. Both teams look to be in desperation mode to save their season, meaning this series could tip the scales to decide that fate one way or the other.
And on a cold Friday afternoon game in Pittsburgh, the Hurricanes might’ve finally taken that step in the right direction with a 9-4 win over the Pitt Panthers.
Led by a dazzling offensive display by catcher Tanner Smith, the ’Canes scored more runs in one game than the last five combined.
Smith brought in five RBI’s on three hits which included a grand slam to put Miami up early.
Right-handed pitcher Griffin Hugus toted the mound for the Hurricanes and continued his excellence across 6.2 innings of work. But before the junior settled in, he struggled during the first inning. A single and an errant pickoff attempt put a runner in scoring position for Pitt, and they capitalized as AJ Nessler gave the Panthers the lead with an RBI single.
But rather than sit back and wallow in frustration, the ’Canes answered back immediately with four runs in the top of the second.
A double and a pair of singles loaded the bases for Tanner Smith, and with two strikes he made Pitt pay, launching a 398 foot grand slam to left.
From then on both pitching staffs settled down, combing for four scoreless innings through the sixth.
Pittsburgh attempted to mount a comeback in the seventh, after a Luke Cantwell double brought in two runs to close the Hurricane lead 4-3. And with all the pressure in the world, righty Will Smith was called into the game to get the Hurricanes out of the inning with the lead. A walk and a strikeout later, the Hurricanes headed back to the dugout with the lead intact looking for some insurance runs.
The Hurricanes immediately got what they were looking for as a trifecta of doubles from Derek Williams, Dorian Gonzalez Jr, and T. Smith brought in two runs before a Jake Ogden RBI single brought in a third insurance run in the top of the eighth. And the ’Canes kept it going in the ninth as a pair of walks tacked on two more runs to make it a 9-3 game as Alex Giroux came in to close for Miami.
Those insurance runs proved clutch as despite Giroux giving up a run in the ninth, Miami held onto the win 9-4.
The Hurricanes (16-15, 3-7 ACC) will play the second half of the doubleheader tonight against Pitt (16-13, 3-7 ACC), as they look to win their first series since February.