Pitt Drops Home Opener to Penn State

Tuesday, March 12

Pittsburgh, Pa.

3 PM

Pitt

6-8

Penn State

10-3

Penn State

Pittsburgh

Pitt Drops Home Opener to Penn State

3/12/2019 7:15:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Season Statistics (PDF)Box Score (PDF)

Errors Plague Panthers in Rivalry Defeat

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh baseball team dropped its home opener to rival Penn State Tuesday afternoon, falling 7-3 at Charles L. Cost Field in the first of six home games.

"It felt good to be home. It felt good to go through some routines," said head coach Mike Bell. "Any time you're in your own surroundings, it provides comfort for your guys and I thought they came out with good energy today. They were excited for the beautiful day here for our home opener, things just didn't go our way. We need to tidy up and sure up some things and play catch with the baseball."

Penn State got on the board first, plating two runs off a long double into the right field corner in the second inning.

Pitt would tie things up with back-to-back one-run innings, scoring in the second and third to knot things up at 2-2. An RBI single in the second inning off the bat of Gregory Ryan Jr. would score Nico Popa, who drew a leadoff walk, stole second and moved to third on a ground out. In the third frame, a bunt single from Connor Perry would get things going, as Perry would steal second and move to third on a single from Ron Washington Jr. before scoring in a rundown.

Penn State would regain the lead in the fifth with a two-run frame, extending its lead in the following inning. With the Panthers down three, Andres Antonini would bring home David Yanni on a fielder's choice, as the Panthers drew within two.

The Nittany Lions would add insurance in the ninth, scoring two to earn the 7-3 victory.

Chris Gomez (0-1) earned the loss, tossing 2.0 innings of relief, allowing two runs off three hits and two walks, striking out two. Christian Camacho put together a three-inning start, allowing two runs off three hits and one walk, striking out three. David Moore would toss 1.2 innings of relief, allowing one run off one hit and four walks, striking out three. Freshman Brady Devereux closed things out for the Panthers, allowing two runs off three hits and one walk, whiffing a pair.

Offensively, the freshmen shone for the Panthers as both Antonini and Ryan Jr. went 2-4 with an RBI. Pitt managed 10 hits in the contest, as seven different Panthers tallied at least one hit.

The Panthers return to action tomorrow, hosting Youngstown State in a Wednesday afternoon meeting at Cost Field.

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