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Miami Hurricanes Travel to Pittsburgh for Sat/Sun Series

By Alan Rubenstein

Jun 18, 2016; Omaha, NE, USA; Miami Hurricanes pitcher Andrew Cabezas (53) writes in the dirt in the sixth inning during the game against the Arizona Wildcats during the 2016 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Arizona won 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 18, 2016; Omaha, NE, USA; Miami Hurricanes pitcher Andrew Cabezas (53) writes in the dirt in the sixth inning during the game against the Arizona Wildcats during the 2016 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Arizona won 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Miami Hurricanes baseball team will travel to Pittsburgh to face the Panthers in a three-game, two-day weekend series.

The University of Pittsburgh announced changes to the original schedule because of inclement weather that is expected in Pittsburgh this weekend. The Hurricanes will now play a doubleheader beginning on Friday at 2pm, followed by the second game commencing at 6pm. The game scheduled for 3pm Saturday will remain unchanged.

The Hurricanes have never lost a series to the Panthers, carrying a perfect 15-0 record against them heading into this weekend. Miami will continue to go with its usual weekend rotation of Jesse Lapore, Jeb Bargfeldt and Michael Mediavilla.

Lapore struggled in his last outing before his teammates bailed him out. Lapore allowed six runs, all earned on four hits and two walks while striking out two in 3.2 innings. Miami needed a miraculous comeback from a seven-run deficit to defeat Duke 9-7.

Related Story: Miami Hurricanes Stage Incredible Comeback to Stun Duke

Lapore had pitched brilliantly his first few outings but enters the game against the Panthers 1-4 with a 5.27 Earned Run Average. Junior College transfer Jeb Bargfeldt has evolved into the ace of the Miami staff. He has 1.88 ERA and .213 opponent batting average.

Mediavilla will pitch the series finale on Saturday. He has had an inconsistent season. The preseason All-American is 3-4 with a 4.62 ERA and .272 opponent batting average against.

Pittsburgh will counter with lefthander Josh Mitchell in the opener followed by right-handers Dan Hammer and Josh Falk. Mitchell is 1-3 with a 3.73 ERA and .264 batting average against.

Hammer will be making only his sixth start of the season. Matt Pidich is usually the Panthers third weekend starter. Hammer is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA and a 2.71 batting average against in five starts and eight appearances.

Falk has been dominant at times this season. He is 3-3 with a 2.50 ERA, .194 batting average against, a 1.07 WHIP.  and 50 strikeouts in 54 innings.

Miami travels to the steel city off of a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday night at Mark Light Stadium. The Eagles rallied from a 3-1 deficit by scoring three in the seventh and one in the eighth to get the win.

Two Miami errors in the contributed to the Eagles taking the lead after the three-run seventh. Miami tied it in the bottom of the inning before FGCU scored the winning run in the top of the eighth.

The Hurricanes wasted a great performance from starter Gregory Feliz. Feliz allowed just one run on one hit over 5.1 innings with three walks and four strikeouts. Florida Gulf Coast used eight pitchers in the victory.

Pittsburgh enters the weekend series 15-14 overall and 6-9 in the ACC. They are one game behind Miami in the ACC Coastal Division standings.

The Matchup features the two worst hitting teams in the ACC. Miami enters the weekend hitting .211 and the Panthers have a .233 team average.

Pittsburgh’s lineup is arguably more anemic than Miami. They have only hit 12 home runs all season. Nick Banman who leads the team with four homers and 19 RBIs is hitting just .188 this season.

Next: Mark Richt is Re-establishing the State of Miami

Next Up: The Hurricanes will return home for a four game homestand that commences Wednesday against Florida Atlantic. They will then host Florida State at the Light next weekend.

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