Pitt upsets No. 7 Louisville, reaches ACC Tournament semifinals

A year ago, Pitt won its first ACC Tournament game before losing a tough decision in the second day of pool play.

They didn’t let a similar opportunity slip away Wednesday at Truist Field in Charlotte, N.C.

Trailing in the fifth inning for the second day in a row, Pitt got two home runs from leadoff hitter Jeffrey Wehler, another from Tatem Levins and Bryce Hulett’s two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to complete a stunning 6-5 upset of No. 2 seed Louisville (38-17-1), ranked No. 7 in the nation by Baseball America.

Pitt coach Mike Bell remembers that tough 3-2 loss to N.C. State last year. It might have helped.

“Maybe that helped some of our guys push through,” he said.

The victory lifts 11th-seeded Pitt (29-26) into the tournament semifinals at 5 p.m. Saturday against N.C. State (35-20). The 10th-seeded Wolfpack defeated No. 3 Miami, 9-6, Wednesday night.

For the second time in the past four ACC tournaments, the Panthers have reached the semifinals as a lower seed. Pitt made it there in 2018 as a No. 12 seed.

“We knew we had our hands full (against Louisville),” Bell said. “They showed a lot of fight. They showed a lot of poise, and the ability to come back.

“That’s something we tried to talk about the past couple years, the belief you can do those kind of things.”

After taking a 2-0 lead on Wehler’s two-run homer in the third inning, Pitt fell behind 4-2 in the fifth.

But in the bottom of the inning, Wehler hit his second blast to trim the margin by one before Louisville’s Levi Usher homered in the sixth for a 5-3 lead.

Pitt responded with single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, triggered by Levins’ 16th homer of the season.

Brock Franks’ sacrifice fly tied the game 5-5 in the eighth, setting up Pitt for a walk-off victory in the ninth.

Wehler started the decisive rally with a single, his third hit of the game, before Levins walked. Two outs later, Hulett ripped the winning single — also his third of the day — to center field.

“He (Louisville reliever Michael Prosecky) got the first fastball inside there pretty good,” Hulett said. “He just left the other one over the middle of the plate.”

Pitt relief pitcher Baron Stuart (2-4) worked the last two scoreless innings to earn the victory.

The immediate prize for the Panthers is one they might enjoy nearly as much as a victory.

“We get to sleep in (Thursday morning),” Bell said. “We had the breakfast games the past two days (11 a.m. starts). I think the guys will enjoy that a little bit.

“We’ll get back to work on Friday with a game plan for Saturday.”

The plan?

“Keep it simple. Not too high. Not too low,” Bell said.

“I’m happy for the players. I’m happy for the program. They get to continue to do it each and every day. They get to enjoy the moment again.”