May 4, 2008

Box Score

PITTSBURGH--The Pitt baseball team fell to Villanova by a tally of 16-10 in the final game of its weekend series with the Wildcats. In an errant-filled game, only six of Villanova's 16 runs were earned as the Panthers committed six fielding errors on the day. The Wildcats allowed three unearned runs of their own as they tallied four errors. Senior Dan Williams highlighted Pitt's day, crossing the plated a career-high four times during the contest.

The Panthers (15-28, 6-15) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the game's first inning as Joe Leonard (FR/Dawson, Pa./Connellsville) ripped an RBI-single to left field, scoring teammate Sean Conley (SR/Chippewa, Pa./Blackhawk).

With two on and two outs, Villanova starter Bill Hoffman followed Leonard's single by tossing back-to-back walks to Chris Warner (RS JR/West Seneca, N.Y./University of South Carolina) and Nick Mullins (SR/Brick, N.J./Brookdale Community College). The walk to Mullins scored Danny Lopez (SO/Queens, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy), giving Pitt the 2-0 advantage.

The Wildcats (25-22, 9-12) responded in the bottom of the second, scoring five runs of their own, all unearned, as they took advantage of three Panther errors and two balks by Pitt starter Corey Baker (FR/New City, N.Y./Clarkstown South).

Despite plating eight more runs over the next seven innings, Pitt was unable to regain the lead as Villanova tallied 11 more runs of its own. Warner posted a 3-5 effort at the plate, with two singles and double, driving-in two runs and scoring one of his own.

Mullins and John Schultz (FR/West Lawn, Pa./Wilson West Lawn) each notched two-RBI in the contest, as Leonard and Warner were the lone Panthers with multi-hit efforts on the day.

Down 12-4 in the top of the seventh, center fielder Jordan Herr (RS SO/Lancaster, Pa./Delaware) gave Pitt its best offensive inning of the day, ripping a one out, two-RBI triple into left-center field. Warner and Mullins both scored on their teammate's hit, while Herr followed, coming home on a wild pitch.

Williams (SR/Berwyn, Pa./Episcopal Academy) scored four of the five times he was on base, drawing three walks, being hit by a pitch and tallying a single. His four runs-scored set a new career-high for the Panther second baseman, as his previous best was three, a mark he achieved against Rutgers back on May 6, 2006 as a sophomore.

The Panthers will have very little time before their next game as they kick-off play in the first-ever Panther Classic tomorrow at Trees Field in a 6 p.m. matchup with Coppin State. Central Michigan will also be in town for the classic, as the three teams will compete in a combined five games May 5-7. For a complete classic schedule, please visit http://pittsburghpanthers.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/sched/pitt-m-basebl-sched.html .