University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Baseball Opens Season with Three Wins in Tournament
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 11, 1998
Under the direction of first-year head coach Joe Jordano, the Pittsburgh Panther baseball team opened its 1998 season with three victories in the Homestead Challenge tournament at Homestead, Fla., March 2-9, including an 8-3 decision in its season- opener against Northwood (Mich.).
Chris Gallick (Mt. Pleasant, Pa./Mt. Pleasant) earned the win against Northwood March 2, pitching eight innings in which he gave up six hits, one earned run, walked two and struck out two before Jory Coughenour (Uniontown, Pa./Uniontown) came in for the final inning and recorded his first career save. Louis Melucci (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning to secure the Panther win. Also performing well were Bill Brown (Deer Lakes, Pa./Deer Lakes) and Chris Delsignore (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop) who hit a triple and double, respectively.
Pittsburgh lost both games in a double header against Eastern Michigan, 15-12 and 4-3, March 3. At the top of the sixth, the Panthers were down, 9-2, when Steve Dickinson (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) and Brown recorded back-to-back home runs which sparked a Panther rally for the ensuing two innings and put them ahead 12-10. However, Eastern Michigan drove in five runs in the bottom of the eighth and captured the win.
In the second game, Bob Balazentis (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin/Mercyhurst) went the distance and pitched a complete game in his first appearance for Pittsburgh in which he gave up four hits and one earned run, walked none and recorded seven strikeouts.
The Panthers put up their second win against Lewis, 3-2, March 4. Brown hit another triple, while Dickinson led the Pittsburgh defense with 12 putouts at first base. Eric Rosing (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) pitched 5.2 innings for the win, giving up only two hits, one earned run and striking out four.
Kevin Lazeski (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) struck out six batters in 7.2 innings in a 3-2 victory against St. Cloud State March 5. Kevin Foley (Burlington, Ontario, Canada/Notre Dame) went 2-4 at the plate, including a triple and two RBI's, and Jeff Sofran (Smithton, Pa./Yough) and Brown each hit doubles.
Despite Gallick's impressive effort on the mound with eight strike outs in 6 2/3 innings, Pittsburgh fell, 7-1, to Rhode Island March 6, which was the first of four straight losses. In its second double-header of the week, Pittsburgh lost, 6-3 to Wagner and 14-7 to Chicago State March 7. Against Chicago State, the Panthers showed impressive endurance as they rallied to score five straight runs in the bottom of the ninth. Finally, Pittsburgh lost its final game, 5-3, March 8 against St. Francis (N.Y.).
Pittsburgh will play a three-game series at Ohio State March 13-14 before facing Duquesne in its home-opener March 18 at 2 p.m. at Trees Field.
