Seventh Inning Surge Sends Pitt Over Siena

Friday, February 24

Vero Beach, Fla.

3:00 PM

Pitt

4-1

Siena

0-6

Siena

Pittsburgh

Seventh Inning Surge Sends Pitt Over Siena

2/24/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

VERO BEACH, FL - A six-run seventh inning broke things open for the University of Pittsburgh baseball team Friday afternoon as the Panthers claimed an 8-2 win over Siena at Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Fla.

After trailing for a majority of the game, the Panthers offense came alive in the seventh, scoring six runs off two hits, one error and a passed ball.

"I thought we got off to a slow start due to the starter for Siena really keeping us off balance," said head coach Joe Jordano. "He did a really solid job. We took advantage of offensive opportunities and got a big hit by (David) Yanni with two out and two on to give us the 4-2 lead, then we got another two-out RBI from (Nico) Popa to extend the lead to 8-2. We played clean again defensively, which I was really pleased with an minimized free base runners for Siena."

Siena would strike first in the top of the third as a single, walk and sacrifice bunt would put a pair of runners in scoring position with just one out. Joe Dripich would groundout to first baseman Caleb Parry to record the inning's second out, but plated a runner as Siena went up 1-0. In the following at-bat a single from Brian Kelly gave the Saints a 2-0 advantage.

Pitt got one back in the bottom of the frame as a single through the right side and a wild pitch would put Jacob Wright on second. Parry would ground out to the shortstop, moving Wright to third before a sacrifice fly from Frank Maldonado would plate Pitt's first run.

The Panthers would tie it up in the bottom of the sixth, scoring a run off of a pair of hits. Manny Pazos led off with a double to center, moving to third on a groundout off the bat of Alex Amos. Freshman Nico Popa would send a single into center to plate Pazos as Pitt knotted things up at 1-1.

The seventh inning brought a fury of offense as Pitt scored six to regain control of the game. Back-to-back walks to Wright and Parry got things started as a sacrifice bunt from Maldonado put both in scoring position. A double down the left field line that skipped off of first base from David Yanni would allow both to score, giving the Panthers a 4-2 lead.

Yanni would move to third on a wild pitch, coming home on a passed ball. Another pair of walks put Nick Banman and Pazos on base, as the duo moved into scoring position after a groundout from P.J. DeMeo. Amos hit a hard ground ball toward the shortstop and a missed throw allowed the second baseman to reach base, scoring both Pazos and Banman. Pitt would wrap up its scoring onslaught in the inning after a single from Popa scored Amos and the Panthers took control, 8-2.

Reliever R.J. Freure earned his second win in as many appearances after coming on in relief of starter Matt Pidich in the seventh. Freure went 3.0 innings without giving up a run, surrendering just one hit and one walk, striking out four. Pidich was solid in just his second start of his career, going 6.0 innings, allowing two runs off four hits and three walks, striking out five.

"Matt (Pidich) threw a solid game, but was getting behind hitters quite a bit, but he is a competitor and worked through it and settled in, giving us six innings," added Jordano. "R.J. (Freure) came in and held Siena in check for the final three innings. We look forward to a competitive day of baseball tomorrow."

With the win, Pitt moves to 4-1 on the season, rattling off three straight wins. The Saints fall to 0-5 on the year. The two teams will resume action on Saturday, taking part in a doubleheader at Holman Stadium at Historic Dodgertown. Action is set to get underway at 1 p.m.

NOTES: Freshman Nico Popa led the offense, going 3-4 with a pair of RBIs … David Yanni went 1-4 with two RBIs and one run scored, including a double … Manny Pazos and Jacob Wright each 1-3 with two runs scored, and one double.

#H2P | Twitter | Instagram