Box Score | Bracket | ACC Championship Photos
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – No. 11 seed Pitt defied the odds again on Wednesday and became the first team to reach the semifinals of the 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Championship.
Bryce Hulett’s two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Panthers to a 6-5 win over No. 2 seed and nationally seventh-ranked Louisville to secure a spot in Saturday’s 5 p.m. semifinal at Truist Field. As the winner of Pool B, Pitt (29-26) will face the winner of tonight’s Pool C game between No. 3 Miami and No. 10 NC State.
It marks the second time in the last four ACC Baseball Championships that the Panthers have reached the semifinals as a lower seed. Pitt also reached the semis as the No. 12 in the 2018 tournament at Durham, North Carolina.
Hulett’s game-winning single capped a 3-for-5 day at the plate and completed the Panthers’ rally from a 5-3 deficit entering the bottom of the seventh inning. Pitt leadoff hitter Jeffrey Wehler was also 3-for-5 at the plate and hit two home runs to match his regular-season total.
Tatem Levins connected for his 16th homer of the year, a solo shot that brought Pitt to within 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh, and the Panthers scrapped for the tying run in the bottom of the eighth to set up Hulett’s heroics. The senior first baseman’s winning hit plated Wehler, who led off Pitt’s half of the ninth with a single and advanced to third on a walk and a fielder’s choice.
Dalton Rushing hit his 20th and 21st home runs of the season for Louisville (38-17-1), and Levi Usher connected on his seventh round-tripper of the year, but the Cardinals’ bullpen could not keep the Panthers in check at the finish.
The teams used a combined six pitchers, with Baron Stuart (2-4) working the final two innings to pick up the win for Pitt. Jared Poland (5-4) took the loss for Louisville.
Louisville sees its final ACC Championship action versus seventh-seeded Georgia Tech (32-22) on Thursday at 11 a.m., but remains in position for a favorable draw when NCAA tournament selections are announced on Monday.
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 11, No. 6 Wake Forest 8
No. 8 North Carolina 9, No. 12 Clemson 2
Wednesday, May 25
No. 11 Pitt 6, No. 2 Louisville 5
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)