University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Panthers Head South for Annual Tournament
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 9, 1999
HOMESTEAD, Fla. - The Pittsburgh baseball team is competing in Homestead, Fla. for their annual spring trip during the week of March 6-13. The Panthers are currently 4-1 in South Florida, while recording their first wins of the season with victories over Northwood (8-5), Holy Cross (5-4), Quinnipiac (10-2) and St. Cloud (11-0). Pittsburgh also lost a close one to Bowling Green, 9-8.
In the Panthers' 8-5 win over Northwood on March 6, senior co-captain Lou Melucci (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) recorded two hits and scored two runs for Pittsburgh. Senior co-captain Steve Dickinson (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) and freshman designated hitter Brad Rea (Gibsonia, Pa./North Allegheny) each had a double and a run batted in, while freshman outfielder Mike Gonda (Ruffs Dale, Pa./Yough) had a triple and RBI. Junior pitcher Jory Coughenour (Uniontown, Pa./Uniontown) recorded the win while striking out eight batters.
The Panthers were down 9-3 versus Bowling Green heading into the top of the ninth inning. Two of Pittsburgh's runs had come from a two-run homerun by Dickinson in the seventh. It was Dickinson who helped lead a five-run rally in the ninth when he hit another one out of the park for three RBI. The team's all-time career homerun leader now has five on the season. Sophomore infielder Joe Lydic (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) and junior Eric Katchur (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) also added base hits for an RBI a piece, making the score 9-8 with two outs, but the Panthers fell short of the tying run.
Pittsburgh came back from a one-point deficit to claim a 5-4 victory over Holy Cross on March 7. It was 3-2 in favor of Holy Cross heading into the eighth inning when a base hit by Gonda drove in the tying run for the Panthers. Katchur followed up with a two-run double, putting Pittsburgh in the lead for good. Sophomore righty Scott Schultz (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) recorded his first collegiate win after relieving starter and brother John Schultz (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) in the seventh inning.
Head Coach Joe Jordano recorded his 300th career victory when the Panthers defeated Quinnipiac, 10-2, in the second game of a doubleheader on March 7. His 12-year career record now stands at 301-147-1. Each Pittsburgh starter enjoyed at least one base hit on the day, while four recorded doubles. Dickinson went 2-4 and contributed four RBI, while junior catcher Dave Hoopes (Hershey, Pa./Lower Dauphin) finished 3-4 with an RBI. Junior transfer Matt Shoemaker (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport) pitched the first complete game for the Panthers of the season and recorded eight strike-outs.
Pittsburgh won its first shutout of the season over St. Cloud, 11-0 on March 8. The game was scoreless throughout four and a half innings before the Panthers broke it open, scoring six runs in the bottom of the fifth, then followed up with five more in the eighth. Lydic had an outstanding performance as he went 4-5 on the day while recording a triple, three RBI and scoring two runs. Rea contributed two hits, including a double, and had two RBI. Sophomore righty Greg Paul (Ellwood City, Pa./Riverside) recorded his first win of the season as Pittsburgh's starting pitcher.
The Panthers look to face Wagner, Rhode Island, Maine and Bucknell throughout the rest of the week.
