Pitt
Kent State
Panther Baseball Drops 13-12 Decision To Kent State
5/3/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 3, 2001
KENT, Ohio--One day after scoring 14 runs on 17 hits, Pittsburgh's baseball team again came out with an offensive explosion with 12 runs on 16 hits, but fell to Kent State 13-12 Wednesday afternoon at Gene Michael Field. The Panthers surrendered 13 runs on 13 hits to the Golden Flashes, who avenged an earlier season 6-5 extra-inning setback to the Blue and Gold.
The Golden Flashes opened the scoring in the first inning with a pair of runs. Pittsburgh tied the game in the top of the second as junior Brad Rea (Gibsonia, Pa./North Allegheny) smashed his team-leading 10th home run of the year and senior Charis Britt (Penn Hills, Pa./Penn Hills) picked up a fielder's choice RBI.
Trailing 5-2, the Panthers plated five runs in the third inning to take a two-run advantage. The inning was highlighted by junior Rolando Bello's (Miami, Fla./Southeastern) three-run homer followed by a solo bomb by sophomore Chris Papst (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown).
Pittsburgh led 8-7 after four innings and stretched the lead to 12-7 in the fifth frame. Papst and sophomore Joe Burger (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) both hit two-run homers in the inning.
However, KSU responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning to knot the score at 12-12. Matt Sega connected on a grand slam to spark the five-run rally.
The winning run scored in the seventh inning when John VanBenschoten singled home Eric O'Brien, who was hit by a pitch and stole both second and third.
Senior Darrin Lenhart (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) and freshman Bryan Spamer (Harrisburg, Pa./Redland) each tallied three hits apiece to lead the Panthers. Papst, Bello and sophomore Brant Colamarino (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) all notched two hits apiece.
Sophomore Adam Swavely (Bucktown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) suffered the loss on the mound. In 3.2 innings of relief, Swavely gave up just one run and three hits.
Pittsburgh (16-21) returns to action this weekend as it travels to Villanova for a three-game series.
