No. 7 Georgia Tech Mounts Comeback over Panthers in Opener

Thursday, May 16

Atlanta, GA

7 PM

Pitt

20-33, 7-21

Georgia Tech

37-15, 18-10

Pittsburgh

Georgia Tech

No. 7 Georgia Tech Mounts Comeback over Panthers in Opener

5/16/2019 11:20:00 PM | Baseball

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Popa Continues Hot Streak in Defeat

ATLANTA – The University of Pittsburgh baseball team suffered an 11-7 loss to open the series against No. 7 Georgia Tech, falling in the opener at Russ Chandler Field in Atlanta Thursday evening.

The Panthers jumped out to an early advantage, but the high-powered Georgia Tech offense chipped away, regaining the advantage with two big innings to secure the victory.

Nico Popa continued his hot streak in the second, leading off the frame with a solo shot, his seventh of the season and third in as many games. The blast would ignite the Panther offense as 12 batters would come to the plate in the frame. After David Yanni was hit by a pitch and Kyle Hess ripped a one-out double into right field, Zach Klapak would send a single into left and a fielding error would allow both runners to score, giving Pitt a 3-0 lead.

A ground ball out moved Klapak into scoring position before a single up the middle from Sky Duff made it 4-0 in favor of the Panthers. Cole MacLaren and Connor Perry would draw back-to-back walks before Popa again left his mark on the inning, sending a two-run single into left as Pitt put up six on the Yellow Jackets to take a 6-0 lead through two.

Georgia Tech would cut the lead in half in the third on a three-run homer.

The Panthers would add to their advantage in the fifth after Yanni, who had been struck by a pitch in each of his first two at bats, lined a solo homer into right center to put Pitt up 7-3.

The Yellow Jackets' offense would come alive in the bottom of the frame, plating four to tie things up. The home team would take the lead in the seventh, putting up four more to take an 11-7 lead.

Derek West (3-3) earned the loss, his first since April 6, going 4.2 innings, allowing seven runs off nine hits and one walk, striking out eight. Chris Gomez and Mason Ronan saw work out of the pen, each allowing a pair of runs. William Kirwan tossed 1.1 innings of work, letting up just one hit and striking out a pair before David Moore closed things out with a pair of strikeouts.

Offensively, Popa led the way, going 3-5 with three RBI and a run scored, swiping his 14th base of the season. Eight different Panther batters tallied at least one hit as the Panthers collected 10 on the evening.

The Panthers are now eliminated from ACC Tournament contention. The series will continue tomorrow as the two teams are set for a 6 p.m. start in game two.

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