Panthers Sweep Doubleheader, Series Against Siena

Saturday, February 25

Vero Beach, Fla.

1:00 PM

Pitt

5-1

Siena

0-7

Siena

Pittsburgh

Panthers Sweep Doubleheader, Series Against Siena

2/25/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

VERO BEACH, Fla. - The University of Pittsburgh baseball team took both games of a doubleheader over Siena at Historic Dodgertown Saturday afternoon, sweeping the three-game series with the Saints at Holman Stadium.

Pitt (6-1, 0-0 ACC) scored 16 runs in the two games as the offense led the way for the Panthers to earn the series sweep.

GAME ONE
The Panthers had another big seventh inning in the first game of the doubleheader, plating three runs to take a lead they would hold onto for the remainder of the outing.

A pitchers dual through the first three and a half innings, starters Josh Mitchell (Pitt) and Brendan White (Siena) were cruising, retiring a combined 20 of 23 batters faced through the middle of the fourth.

The Panthers got things started in the fourth when a two-out single up the middle from Frank Maldonado made way for a two-run home run off the bat of designated hitter Nick Banman.

Pitt wouldn't hold the lead for too long, however, as Siena posted a three-spot in the following frame to collect the lead. Back-to-back singles put a pair on before Mitchell bobbled a sacrifice bunt, filling the bases with Saints. The next batter hit into a fielder's choice but a misplay by Kaylor Kulina allowed the run to score as Siena tied it up at 2-2. The Saints would take the lead on a sacrifice fly, as the Panthers found themselves down 3-2.

The Panthers tied it up in the bottom of the fifth, as Manny Pazos got things started with a double down the left field line. The catcher would move to third on a bunt by Kulina before being brought around on a groundout from Alex Amos.

Freshman reliever Chris Gomez would make his collegiate debut in the sixth, coming in relief of Mitchell who went 5.0 innings, allowing three unearned runs off of three hits and two walks, adding four strikeouts.

Gomez would toss a clean sixth and seventh innings as the Panthers took control of the game in the seventh. Pazos would again lead off the inning with a double, sending a shot into left field that would be followed by an RBI double off the bat of P.J. DeMeo. Amos reached on an error on an attempted sacrifice bunt to score DeMeo as the Panthers went up 5-3. A groundout from Jacob Wright would move Amos to third before the second baseman would come home on a single up the middle by Caleb Parry. With the three-run frame, the Panthers took a 5-3 lead.

The Saints would get one back in the eighth as a double and single would put a pair on. Gomez would get Phil Madonna to ground into a double play, but a run would come across as Siena cut Pitt's lead to 5-4.

Pitt would leave two stranded in the eighth as the two-run lead would make way for Yaya Chentouf to enter the game in a save situation. The sophomore would strike out the first batter he faced before allowing a single. With a man on first, Chentouf would get Max Goione to ground into a double play to end the contest.

GAME ONE NOTES: Chris Gomez earned his first collegiate win in his debut, tossing 3.0 innings of relief, allowing one run off of four hits and no walks, adding three strikeouts … Yaya Chentouf earned his second save of the season, going 1.0 innings without allowing a run, surrendering one hit and striking out one … Nick Banman led the offensive charge, going 1-4 with two RBIs off of a two-run home run … Alex Amos also boasted a two-RBI performance, going 1-2 on the afternoon … coming off the bench, P.J. DeMeo went 2-2 with an RBI and a run scored … Manny Pazos doubled twice in the outing.

GAME TWO
The Panthers offense exploded in the second game, despite the loss of shortstop David Yanni, who left the first game due to injury. Pitt swept the series with an 11-5 decision over the Saints as seven different Panthers registered hits in the finale.

Josh Falk got the start on the bump, earning his second win in as many appearances as the Panthers dominated the Saints.

Pitt wasted no time getting on the board, scoring three runs in each of the first three innings to get out to an early 9-2 lead.

In the first, the leadoff man, Wright, took a walk and was brought around by the next at-bat, a double from Parry. Alex Griffith was hit by a pitch to put men on first and second, making way for an RBI double from Banman that scored Parry. A sacrifice fly from Zach Zientarski scored Griffith as the Panthers went up 3-0.

Pitt extended its lead to 6-0 in the next stanza, with an infield single from Amos getting things going. Nico Popa would lay down a sacrifice bunt to move Amos to second and the freshman would advance to third on a failed pickoff attempt. Wright would draw a walk to put runners on the corners for Parry, who sent a shot well over the left field wall to clear the bases.

In the third, Siena would get a pair back, as a solo home run and an RBI single cut Pitt's lead to 6-2.

The Panthers, however, would add three more in the third, to take a 9-2 lead.

A walk issued to Banman and a single from DeMeo would put runners on first and second before a single through the right side by Amos plated Banman. Popa would follow that up with a single up the middle to score DeMeo and a Wright double would score Amos.

Pitt scored two more in the fifth, both coming in two-out situations as Wright drew another walk and moved to second on a Parry single. Maldonado was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Griffith who singled through the left side to score two.

Siena would get those two back in the sixth off a two-run home run by Dan Swain as Pitt's lead stood at 11-4. The Saints would attempt to mount a comeback in the eighth, as one run came across off Dan Hammer, but Pitt would hold on for the 11-5 win.

With the wins, Pitt moves to 6-1 on the season, winners of five straight. Pitt will return to action next weekend, traveling to Spartanburg, S.C. for a four-game series with Wofford, USC Upstate and (RV) Wright State. The Panthers will open ACC play the following weekend, making the trip to Louisville, KY for a three-game tilt with No. 8 Louisville.

GAME TWO NOTES: Josh Falk earned his second win in as many appearances, going 4.1 innings, allowing two runs off of five hits and three walks, fanning five batters … Dan Hammer, Sam Mersing and Isaac Mattson saw work out of the bullpen … Caleb Parry led the way for the Panther offense, going 3-5 with four RBIs and three runs scored, with a double and home run … Alex Amos was 3-4 with an RBI and two runs scored … Alex Griffith went 1-3 with two RBI and a run scored … Pitt is now 3-0 all-time against Siena … the Panthers have won five straight.

#H2P | Twitter | Instagram