Pitt capitalizes on dropped fly ball, defeats #8 Virginia, 9-4

Eighth-ranked Virginia has now lost five in a row, after a six-run sixth lifted Pitt to a 9-4 win in the opening game of a three-game weekend series on Friday.

Pitt (20-12, 8-7 ACC) broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning with the six-run rally, which saw the Panthers capitalize on two Cavalier fielding errors.

Pitt starting pitcher Matt Gilbertson earned the win after pitching a season-high eight innings. He was charged with all four runs in the contest and struck out eight batters.

Sophomore Jake Gelof led the Cavaliers with a 2-for-4 effort at the plate that included two doubles. Six of the eight Cavalier hits went for extra bases in the contest.

Pitt struck first in the top of the third inning with a two-out, two-run homer by Tatem Levins, his team-leading 11th home run of the season. It marked the third time in the last four games, a Virginia opponent has scored first.

The Cavaliers (26-8, 9-7 ACC) chipped away and knotted the game back up at two. After a two-out double by Alex Tappen in the third, Devin Ortiz traded places with him thanks a ground-rule double to right center. In the fourth, Griff O’Ferrall delivered a sacrifice fly that enabled Ethan Anderson to score from third.

Pitt sent 10 batters to the plate in the sixth and capitalized on two Virginia fielding errors. Three of the six runs came across on a dropped fly ball in right field with two outs.

The Cavaliers got two runs back in the top of the eighth when O’Ferrall moved over to third base on a Gelof one-out double. O’Ferrall then scored on a wild pitch and Tappen plated Jake Gelof on a sacrifice fly. The RBI for Tappen was No. 48 on the season.

The series continues on Saturday with the middle game against the Panthers. Virginia will send lefty Brian Gursky (5-0) to the mound, and he will be opposed by Logan Evans (3-3). First pitch on ACCNX and WINA is set for 3 p.m.