Offense Dominates in 16-6 Defeat of Youngstown State

Tuesday, April 16

Pittsburgh, Pa.

3 PM

Pitt

11-24

Youngstown State

8-29

Youngstown State

Pittsburgh

Offense Dominates in 16-6 Defeat of Youngstown State

4/16/2019 7:44:00 PM | Baseball

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Perry, Klapak, Popa Homer in 15-Hit Afternoon

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh baseball team used a hot offensive performance to capture a victory in the final meeting of the season with Youngstown State, downing the Penguins 16-6 at Charles L. Cost Field Tuesday afternoon.

Pitt used 15 hits to tally 16 runs, including a season-high three homers, as well as five doubles. The Panthers scored in each of the first four innings, following it up with a six-run sixth to seal the game.

"Top to bottom, I really thought we swung the bat well today and did a great job of capitalizing on some big innings," said head coach Mike Bell. "But, that was all due to the four zeros on the front of the game put up by [Chris] Cappas, which allowed the offense to settle in."

The Panthers got on the board in the opening frame, pushing a pair across to take a lead it would never surrender. Freshman Sky Duff doubled to left field in his first at bat and was joined on the base paths by Ron Washington Jr., who worked a four-pitch walk. Both runners would move into scoring position on a passed ball before a double off the bat of Kyle Hess brought the pair around.

In the second, David Yanni would draw a full-count walk, moving to second on a single from Gregory Ryan Jr. A double steal and walk loaded the bases before a wild pitch gave Pitt a 3-0 lead. The Panthers added another in the third, after Connor Perry drew a walk, stealing both second and third before a single through the right side by Yanni made it 4-0 in favor of Pitt.

The Panthers would tally four in the fourth, jumping out to an 8-0 advantage. A single from Duff got the inning going, as a sacrifice bunt moved him into scoring position. A walk to Washington Jr. put a pair on, before Pitt worked some two-out magic. A double off the left field wall from Nico Popa scored Duff, followed by a three-run homer from Perry to clear the bases, the 10th of the season for the senior.

Youngstown State as able to rebound in the fifth, scoring five to pull within three of the lead. Pitt, however, would respond in the sixth, using a six-run frame to regain control.

With one out, Washington Jr. sent a single into left field, moving to second on a walk to Hess. A single up the middle off the bat of Popa loaded the bases, as Perry's hot bat continued with a two-RBI single into center. After a groundout put both runners in scoring position, a wild pitch and subsequent error allowed Popa and Perry to score, as Pitt took a 12-5 lead.

The Panthers kept things going as Yanni smacked a double into right and Luca Lotito drew a walk in his first at bat of the game. Duff would clear the bases with his second double of the afternoon, as Pitt took a 14-5 lead through six.

A solo homer from Youngstown State in the seventh made it 14-5 in favor of Pitt before the Panthers would see back-to-back homers from Zach Klapak, the first of his career, and Popa, to secure a 16-6 lead. The homers marked the first time Pitt has launched back-to-back home runs since Feb. 28, 2016 when Charles Leblanc and Nick Yarnall went yard in back-to-back at bats at Grambling State.

Pitt got a nice start from Chris Cappas (1-3) who earned his first career victory. Cappas went 4.0 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) off five hits and one walk, fanning a career-best five batters. David Moore threw 0.1 innings of work, while Chris Gomez saw 1.2 innings of action, letting up a hit and a walk while striking out a pair. William Kirwan tossed 2.0 frames, allowing one run off one hit, striking out three, while Mason Ronan tossed the final frame, letting up a hit and striking out a pair.

Offensively, Pitt was dominant, tallying 15 hits and 13 RBI in the performance. Both Duff and Popa went 3-5 on the afternoon, as Duff added two runs and two RBI with Popa contributing three runs and a pair of RBI. Perry continues to swing a hot stick, going 2-4 with two runs and five RBI.

The Panthers return to action tomorrow, traveling to Kent State for a 6 p.m. meeting with the Golden Flashes. Pitt returns to ACC play this weekend, hosting Notre Dame at Charles L. Cost Field.

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