University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Baseball Tops Crosstown-rival Duquesne, 14-4
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 30, 1998
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The Pittsburgh Panther baseball team captured a 14-4 victory over crosstown-rival Duquesne at Duquesne Field this past Wednesday, but lost a three-game Big East series at Rutgers this past weekend.
Designated hitter Bill Brown (Deer Lakes, Pa./Deer Lakes) contributed a season-high five RBI's 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 (Coatsville, Pa./Coatsville Senior) and started an 11-0 scoring drive, giving the Panthers their largest victory margin of the season. Kevin Lazeski (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) 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 (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) 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 (Edinboro, Pa./General Mclane) drove in three runs, including a sacrifice fly on which Dickinson scored the final Pittsburgh run of the game.
The Panthers were also impressive on the basepath, stealing 12 bases to the Dukes' one. Louis Melucci (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights), Chris Delsignore (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop) and Oliver each took three, and David Hoopes (Hershey, Pa./Lower Dauphin), Dickinson and Stafford each recorded one.
In a doubleheader Saturday, March 28, Rutgers defeated Pittsburgh, 4-1 and 12-2. John Schultz (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) pitched his first complete game of the season, giving up three earned runs on five hits, two walks and striking out four batters. Stafford hit a double at the top of the second to drive in Oliver and cut the Scarlet Knights' lead to one. Rutgers, however, scored two runs at the bottom of the eighth, and Pittsburgh could not earn them back as the Knights successfully fielded two fly balls and struck out one batter in the ninth to seal the victory.
Rutgers capitalized on eight hits, scoring eight runs in the first two and one-third innings. At the top of the third, Pittsburgh tied the game with a two-run homer from Melucci, his second of the year, which scored Kevin Foley (Burlington, Ontario, Canada/Notre Dame). But Rutgers scored six more in the second half of the inning. Melucci also hit a double for the Panthers' best individual performance at the plate of the game.
Sunday, March 29, Rutgers threatened to repeat Saturday's nightcap with a 9-0 scoring run in the first five innings. Early in the sixth inning, however, Oliver started a Pittsburgh six-run scoring drive with a single that scored Melucci and Delsignore, and Hoopes grounded out, allowing Brown to score. The Panthers scored three more in the final two innings, but the Knights struck out Brown and Oliver to end Pittsburgh's threat of seizing the victory.
Oliver had a team-best performance at the plate, going 3-for-5, including a game-high three RBI's and scoring one run. Bob Balazentis (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin) was impressive on the mound, closing the game with two hits, no runs and four strikeouts in two innings.
Pittsburgh will face Duquesne Tuesday, March 31 at 2 p.m. at Trees Field before traveling to West Virginia Wednesday, April 1.
The Panthers also host a three-game series against St. John's, which opens with a doubleheader Saturday, April 4 and a single game Sunday, April 5. Both contests will start at noon.
