JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (March 9, 2025) – Trailing by two runs entering the bottom of the ninth inning, the ETSU baseball team rallied to score three runs to upend Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon from Thomas Stadium. Sunday's win not only boosts ETSU's record to 12-3 this season but also clinches the first series win for the Bucs over an ACC team since 2011 (NC State).
A trio of Bucs had two hits on Sunday.
Cody Miller, who also scored the winning run on a throwing error by Pittsburgh's catcher, went 2-for-3 with two RBI, two runs scored and a pair of stolen bases.
Axel Melendez went 2-for-3 with two runs scored with one of those coming on a solo home run.
JD Yakubinis collected his third multi-hit outing of the weekend going 2-for-4, while
Cooper Torres slugged his seventh home run of the season to help the cause as well.
Sophomore
Michael Harpster made the start on the mound for ETSU in the series finale. Harpster worked the first six innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits to go with four strikeouts.
Landon Crumbley, who picked up his second win of the season, went the rest of the way for the Bucs with three innings pitched, two runs allowed on three hits to go with four strikeouts.
Pittsburgh jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on the Bucs through four-and-half innings of play. The Bucs finally got a run off of Panther starter Drew Lafferty with a solo home run from Melendez to make it 3-1 Pitt after five.
The Bucs' comeback continued in the sixth as Torres ripped a home run down the left field line to make it 3-2. For Torres, it was his seventh home run of the season in 57 at-bats this season. Comparatively, he hit just two long balls in 49 at-bats in 2024.
ETSU would tie the game an inning later as Miller reached on a Pittsburgh error that allowed him to get to second base. Yakubinis then brought Miller in to score with a single to even the score at 3-3. The Panthers quickly grabbed the lead back, however, in the top half of the eighth. A leadoff single led into a two-run home run to make it 5-3 Pittsburgh.
The final rally from the Bucs came in the bottom of the ninth inning. Melendez worked a walk and
Jamie Palmese followed with a double in the right field corner. With two runners in scoring position, Miller came through with a two-run single to tie the game at five. Miller was able to get to second base following a high throw from Pitt's centerfielder trying to get Palmese at the plate. Following a Pittsburgh pitching change, Yakubinis was intentionally walked to give the Bucs two runners on base with nobody out. Miller and Yakubinis then executed a double steal and the Panther catcher overthrew the third baseman, so Miller came in to score the winning run for the Bucs, 6-5.
The 12-3 start to this season for ETSU is the Bucs' best 15-game start to the season since the shortened 2020 season.
ETSU will return to action on Tuesday when it visits nationally-ranked Georgia. First pitch between the Bucs and Bulldogs is set for 3 p.m.
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