Canes Drop Opener To Pitt, 2-1
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – A ninth-inning solo home from Pittsburgh proved the difference Friday night, as Miami dropped the series opener, 2-1, at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.
Ron Washington connected on a one-out solo shot off Miami reliever Daniel Federman to break a 1-1 deadlock and send the Panthers to victory.
The Hurricanes (16-21, 9-10 ACC) came up empty in the home half of the ninth, as closer Yaya Chentouf pitched a scoreless ninth for Pitt (20-15, 9-10).
After struggling last time out at #8 Clemson, senior lefthander Jeb Bargfeldt delivered an impressive outing against the Panthers, who entered the weekend one game behind Miami in the ACC Coastal Division standings.
Bargfeldt allowed just one run in a seven-inning gem. He struck out six and scattered five hits and one run with no walks in a 98-pitch effort.
The start marked the fourth time this season that Bargfeldt went at least seven innings and allowed two or fewer runs.
Miami scored in the first inning and did not score again off Pitt righthander Dan Hammer.
The Pitt sophomore matched Bargfeldt with seven strong innings of his own. He allowed just three hits, one run and three strikeouts with an identical pitch count of 98 before departing.
The Hurricanes opened the scoring in the first thanks entirely to the heads-up play of freshman Freddy Zamora.
Zamora was hit by a pitch to open the game. He would steal second, advance to third on a flyout and was alert enough to score on a wild pitch from Hammer to plate the opening run.
Miami’s first hit of the night came on a leadoff single from junior Romy Gonzalez in the fourth inning.
Gonzalez recorded his fifth multi-hit effort of the season in the loss.
Federman (1-4) entered in the eighth and pitched a scoreless first frame that included two strikeouts. He retired the first batter of the ninth before Washington’s homer.
Chase Smith (1-1) pitched a scoreless eighth inning to pick up the victory.
The Hurricanes and Panthers return to Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field Saturday for a doubleheader to close their series.
First pitch for Game 1 of the doubleheader is set for 2 p.m.; Game 2 is slated for 7 p.m. Both games will be available on ACC Network Extra and WVUM 90.5 FM, while Game 2 will be available on 990 AM ESPN Deportes.
