University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Baseball Completes Four-Game Road Trip
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 12, 1999
PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh baseball team began a four-game road trip with a 9-0 shutout at Akron on April 8, before losing three close games to conference leader Notre Dame on April 10 (4-1, 3-2) and 11 (9-8). The Panthers move to 18-14 overall, 7-5 in the Big East.
Leading the way for the Panthers at Akron were freshman right-fielder Mike Gonda (Ruffs Dale, Pa./Yough) and junior shortstop Chris Happ (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Athena). Gonda went 3-for-5 on the night, including one double. He also recorded two runs batted in and scored twice. Happ was 2-for-4, also with one double, two RBI and two runs scored.
Freshman left-handed pitcher Eric Ackerman (Denver, Pa./Cocalico) and sophomore righty Greg Paul (Ellwood City, Pa./Riverside) combined for Pittsburgh's fifth shutout of the year, with each giving up only one hit. Ackerman earned his third win of the season while pitching six innings.
Pittsburgh was held to just two hits in a 4-1 loss in game one of a doubleheader at Notre Dame on April 10. The Irish got on the board first with one run in the third inning. They increased their lead to 2-0 after four. Senior left-fielder Chris Delsignore (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop) led off the top of the fifth with a triple to center field. He then scored the lone run for the Panthers on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Stuart Rykaceski (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills). Notre Dame added two insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth to clinch the win.
Senior right-hander John Schultz (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) pitched a complete seven-inning game, his second of the season, and struck out six batters. His record falls to 2-4.
In game two of the doubleheader, Pittsburgh lost a 3-2 heartbreaker in the bottom of the ninth inning. Both teams were held scoreless for five-and-a-half innings, before the Irish scored one run in the sixth and went up 2-0 in the bottom of the eighth. Senior first-baseman Steve Dickinson (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) gave the Panthers hope of a comeback with a two-run home run with no outs in the top of the ninth. It was his 11th of the year. Happ scored on the hit as a pinch- runner for designated-hitter Brad Rea (Gibsonia, Pa./North Allegheny), who had reached first on a base on balls. The Panthers fell short of the go-ahead run, leaving two men on base, but forced Notre Dame into the bottom of the ninth. With two outs and a man on first and third, the Irish's Matt Strickroth singled to right field, driving in the winning run.
Pittsburgh recorded two runs on seven hits, no errors, left eight on base and turned four double plays. Junior righty Jory Coughenour (Uniontown, Pa./Uniontown) pitched his first complete game of the season (8.2 innings). He also moves to 2-4 on the year.
The Panthers found themselves in a similar situation in game three of the series, with Dickinson once again forcing Notre Dame into the bottom of the ninth. Pittsburgh and the Irish traded leads four times and tied the game twice before Notre Dame claimed the win. The Panthers were trailing by two in the top of the ninth with two men on and two outs. Dickinson stepped up to the plate and hit a line-drive single to right field, scoring Lydic and pinch-runner Harry Ciavarella (Moscow, Pa./North Pocono), to tie the game, 8-8. Gonda struck out, stranding one runner on base and retiring the top of the inning. On the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth, the Irish's Alec Porzel hit a home run to left field, clinching another ninth-inning nail-biter for Notre Dame.
Pittsburgh got on the board early, scoring one run in the first. The Irish quickly responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first, before the Panthers tied it in the second. Pittsburgh then took a 4-2 lead in the third with a two-run home run by Lydic, his sixth of the year. The Irish tied it up again, 4-4, after four innings then jumped out to an 8-4 lead off a four-run fifth. The Panthers began to rally in the top of the seventh with a two-run home run by sophomore designated-hitter Darrin Lenhart (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) that scored Lydic, making the score 8-6. It was Lenhart's first home run of the season.
The Panthers recorded eight runs on 14 hits with one error, leaving seven on base. Sophomore transfer and right-handed pitcher Josh Knauff (Union City, Pa./Union City) started his first game at Pittsburgh with left-handed junior Kevin Lazeski (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg-Salem) and Steve Vickroy (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop) pitching in relief.
The road trip continues for the Panthers as they travel to Wright State on Tuesday, April 13. Pittsburgh then picks up Big East action on Wednesday, April 14 at West Virginia, and then at St. John's, April 17-18, for a three-game series.
