University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pittsburgh Vs. Duquense Game Notes
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
PITTSBURGH vs. DUQUESNE
March 31, 1998 2 p.m.
Trees Field (500)
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Last Meeting: The teams last met March 25, 1998 at Duquesne field, and Pittsburgh captured a 14-4 victory. Designated hitter Bill Brown contributed a season-high five RBI while going 4-for-5 at the plate, including a two-run homer at the top of the sixth and a double as the lead-off hitter at the top of the second. Brown's home run, his second of the season, drove in Jason Oliver and started an 11-0 scoring drive, giving the Panthers their largest victory margin of the season. Kevin Lazeski recorded his second victory of the season, pitching four innings and giving up only two hits, no runs, four walks and striking out four batters.
First baseman Steve Dickinson was also impressive, going 2-for-3 at the plate, recording an RBI and scoring two runs. In the field, Dickinson recorded a team-high 10 putouts. Charles Stafford drove in three runs, including a sacrifice fly on which Dickinson scored the final Pittsburgh run of the game.
The Panthers were also impressive, stealing 12 bases to the Dukes' one. Louis Melucci, Chris Delsignore and Oliver each took three, and David Hoopes, Dickinson and Stafford each recorded one.
COACHES CORNER
Pittsburgh Panthers: Head coach Joe Jordano joins the Panthers this year from Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa., where he became the school's all-time winningest coach with a 285-114-1 10-year record. His .713 winning percentage ranks seventh among active NCAA Division II coaches.
Five of his teams have been ranked in the Top 25 and went on to the NCAA Tournament, and two captured the GLIAC Championship. In addition, Jordano has twice been named the league's Coach of the Year (1996 and 1997) and the Louisville Slugger Coach of the Year (1995). A 1985 graduate of Westminster College, Jordano received his master's degree from Slippery Rock in 1994. Jordano is assisted by Joel Dombkowski and Lou Schaper.
Duquesne Dukes: Mike Wilson is in his fifth year with the Duquesne Dukes where he has compiled a 66-132 overall record. Last season, Wilson guided the Dukes to a 17-32 overall and 12-9 Atlantic 10 conference finish.
Wilson is a graduate of Chadron State and is assisted by Jay Stoner and Norm Frey.
Success in Big East Premiere: First-year head coach Joe Jordano captured his first Big East conference victory with a 5-1 win against Georgetown March 22.
In his previous coaching position, Jordano dominated the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference (GLIAC), guiding the Mercyhurst Lakers to the league championship each season since the Lakers became aligned with the conference (1996 and 1997).
Weather Woes: Since returning from near-perfect weather in Homestead, Fla., the Panthers have played six games. Six of the past 12 games (Ohio State, three games, March 13-14; Duquesne, March 18; and Villanova, doubleheader, March 21) were cancelled due to inclement weather and unplayable fields.
A double-header against Ohio State is tentatively rescheduled for May 7.
Academics First: Eight members of the Pittsburgh Panther baseball team were honored March 19 when they were named Bell Atlantic Scholar-Athletes for achieving a 3.0 grade-point average or better. They are: Chris Guth, Ron Janicki, Richard Klick, Greg Paul, Eric Rosing, John Schultz, Jeff Sofran and Steve Varshine. In addition eight members of the 1997 squad who did not return this year were honored, including Kevin Knox, who achieved a 4.0 GPA last spring.
Hometown Proud: All but two players on the 1998 Panther squad are Pennsylvania natives, Kevin Foley, (Ontario, Canada) and Steve Varshine (Louisville, Ky.). Varshine, however, is originally from Pittsburgh. In addition, 14 of the 28 Pennsylvania natives are from Pittsburgh or a nearby suburb.
Strike Zone: Pittsburgh's pitching staff was ranked fifth in the conference with a 4.95 ERA.
The pitchers have also edged out their opponents in strikeouts so far this season, 101-100.
Loaded Guns: The Panthers are hitting .417 with the bases loaded. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh's defense has held its opponents to a .300 batting average when the bases are loaded.
Double Trouble: The Panthers have turned 20 double plays against their opponents compared to 18 for their competition.
Bag Burglers: Pittsburgh's opponents have gathered 27-of-37 stolen base attempts compared to the Panthers' 16-of-23. The Panthers recorded six stolen bases to the Duquesne's two in their last meeting March 25. Lou Melucci, Jason Oliver and Chris Delsignore each stole their third base of the season. Steve Dickinson, David Hoopes and Charlie Stafford each recorded their first.
Hitting Lefties: Pittsburgh's batting average against left-handed pitchers is .265 compared to a .222 average versus right-handed pitchers.
Home Run Status: Pittsburgh and its opponents are tied with four home runs so far this season-Brown (2), Melucci (2), Dickinson. Last season at this time (March 29, 1997) the Panthers owned their opponents in home runs, 26-12. However, the 1997 squad had played seven more games than the 1998 team at this point in the season.
Just Hit It: Against Duquesne March 25, the Panthers put up their best performance at the plate of the season. Pittsburgh scored 14 runs on 13 hits, both season-highs, including a home run by Bill Brown.
D is for Defense: Pittsburgh's defense was impressive against Duquesne March 25. The Dukes recorded eight hits, but the Panther defense only allowed four runs to score.
Getting It DONE: Pittsburgh is doing its job on the mound, holding its competition to a .181 batting average with two outs and a .248 average with a runner in scoring position.
Meanwhile, when the Panthers are at the plate, they have recorded a .201 batting average on two outs and a .272 average with a runner in scoring position.
PLAYER NOTES Top of the Order: Pittsburgh's leadoff hitter for most of the season, Kevin Foley, one of two Panthers not from Pennsylvania, has stepped up to the plate 47 times this season and has compiled a .277 batting average. Prior to this past weekend, Foley had earned a .324 batting average.
Foley has recorded 13 hits, including a triple, two double and six RBI. Foley also leads the squad with eight walks and has succeeded on each of his two stolen base attempts. As the leadoff hitter, Foley hits his best, averaging .571.
As the Panthers' center fielder, Foley has registered 24 putouts and two assists for a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
Cheers for Charlie: Charlie Stafford has entered the Panther lineup with a bang. His .370 batting average ranks first on the team, and he is 10-for-27 with two doubles and six RBI's in the past nine games.
Slugging Sensation: Pittsburgh's designated hitter, Bill Brown, holds a team-best .592 slugging percentage and and is second on the squad with 17 hits, including two homers, two triples, three doubles and a team-high 10 RBI's. His .327 batting average ranks second on the squad. As the leadoff hitter, Brown has hit .545 and .462 with two outs.
What a Game: Among several impressive individual Panther performances against Duquesne March 25, Brown was a standout for Pittsburgh. At the plate, he went 4-for-5, including a two-run homer and a double. Brown also recorded a game-high five RBI's and scored two runs.
Short Stuff: Louis Melucci, the Panthers' starting shortstop, has recorded a team-best 17 hits, including four this past weekend, and has contributed two home runs, three doubles and nine RBI's. In the field, Melucci has recorded a team-high 54 putout assists and 24 putouts. He has also been involved in nine double plays.
A Tall Order: Standing 6-5, junior first baseman Steve Dickinson is the tallest Panther on the squad. Dickinson is second on the team with 93 putouts, has been involved in nine double-plays and holds a .962 fielding percentage.
Offensively, Dickinson, who holds the all-time season home run record with 13, is tied for a team-high 10 RBI's, and has hit one homer and three doubles.
All Oliver: Junior Jason Oliver is third on the team with a .310 batting average, including two doubles and nine RBI's. In the field, Oliver has registered 47 putouts, mostly from right field, for a .960 fielding percentage.
Help From Hoopes: As the Panthers' starting catcher, sophomore David Hoopes has posted a .982 fielding percentage so far this season with a team-best 94 putouts and 14 assists. He has also prevented a team-high eight baserunners from stealing.
Against Duquesne March 25, Hoopes recorded his first stolen base, had one hit, an RBI's and scored two runs.
A Harry Situation: At second base, Harry Ciavarella has assisted in a team-high 10 double plays. His 35 putout assists rank second on the squad. At the plate, Ciavarella has hit two doubles and six RBI's.
Strikeout Savvy: Junior pitcher John Schultz leads the squad with 13 strikeouts this season. He is 1-1 so far after his first win against Georgetown March 22 and has started three of the four games in which he's appeared.
Going the Distance: Senior pitcher Bob Balazentis (0-1) leads Pittsburgh's pitching staff with a 0.90 ERA and is second with 14 strikeouts. He also recorded the first complete game pitched for Pittsburgh this season against Eastern Michigan March 3. In the 4-3 loss, he gave up only four hits and one run, and struck out seven batters.
Strikeout Leader: John Schultz (1-2) leads the Pittsburgh pitching staff with 17 strikeouts and has pitched the most innings (23) in five appearances so far. Against Rutgers March 28, Schultz pitched his first and the team's second complete game of the season.
CONFERENCE NOTES
Recently Ranked: Lazeski is ranked 12th in individual pitching (minimun 1.0 IP/Team game) in the Big East as of Tuesday, March 31. Boston College's Paul Bibbo is first with a 0.75 ERA.
Pittsburgh's pitching staff is ranked fifth in overall pitching as of Tuesday, March 31 with a 4.45 ERA. The Panthers have improved to a 4.95 ERA since their three-game series with Rutgers this past weekend West Virginia leads the league with a 3.38 overall ERA.
Bill Brown is ranked fourth in the Big East with 0.13 triples per game (2 total) as of Tuesday, March 31.
In conference contests only, John Schultz is sixth in individual pitching (minimum 1.0 IP/Team game) with a 2.25 ERA as of Tuesday, March 31. Schultz is 1-1 in the league. Schultz's eight strikeouts in two conference contests rank seventh in the league, and he has pitched the third-most innings in Big East games so far (12.0/6.0 IP/game).
Louis Melucci is seventh with seven hits in conference contests only as of Tuesday, March 31. Melucci averages 1.40 hits per game. Melucci is also third in leagues games with three doubles in five games (0.60 doubles/game).
Bob Balazentis is second in the Big East with one save in league games only.
SCOUTING DUQUESNE For the Record: The Dukes are 8-8 overall and 2-1 in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Dukes' last action was a three-game series against St. Joseph's at Duquesne Field to open league play for the teams. St. Joseph's won the opening game of a doubleheader, 2-1, Saturday, March 28. Duquesne, however, dominated the next two games, 10-4 in the second game, and 12-11 Sunday March 29.
Ones to Watch: Rocky Kravetz leads the Dukes with a .486 batting average, going 18-for-37 at the plate with four doubles, a triple, two home runs and nine RBI's.
B.J. Barns is also hitting above .400, going 25-of-60 with for a .417 batting average, including five doubles, two triples, four home runs and 14 RBI's (all team-bests).
Bernie Weber is batting .348, including two doubles and five RBI's. Weber also holds a team-best 129 putouts, 10 assists and four errors for a .972 fielding percentage.
Jamie Pagone leads Duquesne in stolen bases (4-for-6).
