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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) \u2013 Kai Wagner delivered the decisive blow with a two-out, three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to lift No. 14 seed Pitt to an 8-6 win over No. 3 seed Florida State in Friday\u2019s Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Championship quarterfinal at Truist Field in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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\nWith the victory, Pitt advances to Saturday\u2019s semifinals and will face No. 2 seed North Carolina at 3 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
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\nWagner powered the Panthers offensively with a pair of home runs, including the game-winning blast in the ninth. The sophomore finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs, three runs scored and a walk. Pitt also got a three-run homer from Trey Fenderson in the opening inning as part of a 2-for-5 night with three RBIs and a run scored.
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\nPitt\u2019s pitching staff limited Florida State to six runs on eight hits, with the Seminoles doing most of their damage during a four-run fifth inning. David Leslie (4-5) earned the win after tossing the final three innings, allowing no hits while striking out six and walking two.
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\nRight-handed starter Eddie Smink gave the Panthers a strong outing on short rest after pitching Wednesday against Wake Forest. Smink worked 4.0 innings, allowing one run on three hits with three walks and seven strikeouts across 94 pitches.
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\nFlorida State was led offensively by Ben Barrett, who launched his first home run of the season \u2014 a game-tying grand slam in the fifth inning. Barrett, who began the season as a pitcher, went 2-for-5 with four RBIs, a double and a run scored. John Stuetzer added two hits and two runs scored, while Brody DeLamielleure also collected two hits and an RBI.
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\nFollowing a rain delay of more than two hours, Pitt capitalized on a shaky opening inning from Florida State. The Seminoles committed two errors and a passed ball that helped plate the game\u2019s first run before Fenderson launched a three-run homer into the second deck in right field to give the Panthers an early 4-0 lead.
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\nFlorida State answered in the bottom half of the inning when DeLamielleure lined an RBI single up the middle to trim the deficit to 4-1.
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\nAfter both starting pitchers settled in through the middle innings, Pitt extended its lead in the fifth when Wagner connected on a solo home run to make it 5-1. The Seminoles responded immediately in the bottom half as Barrett tied the game with a grand slam to center field.
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\nFlorida State took its first lead of the night in the eighth inning, scoring on a Pitt fielding error to move in front 6-5 entering the ninth.
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\nBut with two outs in the final frame, Wagner launched a three-run homer to right field to put Pitt back on top for good and send the Panthers to the ACC semifinals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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