Baseball Battles Cleveland, Rain
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Panther baseball team lost a close contest to Cleveland State, 5-4, this afternoon at Trees Field.
In a game extended one half hour due to lightening after the top of the seventh inning, the Panthers opened with a two-run first inning that Lou Melucci (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) started off when he belted his second triple of the season to score Chris Delsignore (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop). Bill Brown (Deer Lakes, Pa./Deer Lakes) drove in Melucci while grounding out to second base for the second Panther run.
In the second inning, Cleveland got one run back, but Pittsburgh retaliated with another when David Hoopes (Hershey, Pa./Lower Dauphin) doubled to score Harry Ciavarella (Moscow, Pa./North Pocono) who reached on a single. However, that was the last time the Panthers would lead for the remainder of the contest.
The Vikings added two to their score on two hits and one error in the fifth and two more in two innings before the Panthers scored their fourth and final run in the bottom of the eighth. Brown lead off with a single, stole second and advanced to third on an error by the pitcher to put him in scoring position for Ciavarella who drove him in while grounding out to third base.
Greg Paul (Ellwood City, Riverside) opened on the mound and went three innings while giving up three hits, three runs only one of which was earned, one walk and striking out one batter. Jory Coughenour (Uniontown, Pa./Uniontown) came in relief and pitched four and two-thirds innings while giving up three hits, two runs, no walks and striking out two.
Hoopes went 2-for-2 at the plate, including a double and an RBI. Melucci and Delsignore each went 2-for-5, including Melucci's triple and RBI. Aaron Vicari (Butler, Pa./Butler Area) recorded his first career triple in two at-bats.
The Panthers return to Big East action with a doubleheader against Providence Thursday, April 9 at Trees Field. Game time is noon.