University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Baseball Splits Doubleheader with West Virginia
4/10/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Baseball Splits Doubleheader with West Virginia
4/10/2000
Morgantown, W.Va. - Pittsburgh baseball split a rescheduled doubleheader with Big East Conference rival West Virginia in Morgantown, W.Va. on April 10. The Panthers claimed game one, 3-2, but fell to the Mountaineers in game two, 10-8.
Junior pitcher Matt Irvin (Derry, Pa./Derry Area) limited West Virginia to just five hits in recording his second complete-game victory of the year in the first game. He helped clinch the win for the Panthers when he struck out Mountaineer Todd Brock with two outs and the tying run on third base in the bottom of the seventh and final inning. Irvin's record improves to 4-2 on the year.
Stuart Rykaceski (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills), Pittsburgh's sophomore center fielder, gave the Panthers a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning in dramatic fashion, hitting his first career home run in just the first at-bat of the game. West Virginia responded with one run in the bottom of the inning, before taking a 2-1 lead in the second.
But the Panthers rallied to take the lead back with two runs in the top of the fifth and held the Mountaineers off for the remainder of the game. With the bases loaded, senior catcher Doug Caraway (Baltimore, Md./Chesapeake) singled down the right field line to drive in freshman Brant Colamarino (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic), tying the game. Rykaceski then earned his second RBI of the day when he reached first on a fielders' choice, scoring junior shortstop Mike Pokrzywinski (Murraysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) for the eventual game-winning run.
Pittsburgh took a 6-1 lead after four and a half innings in game two before West Virginia rallied to score nine runs in the last four innings to earn the 10-8 come-from-behind victory.
Junior outfielder Darrin Lenhart (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) led the Panthers at the plate as he went 3-for-4 with two runs. Junior third baseman Joe Lydic (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) knocked his ninth home run of the year in the eighth inning for his only hit of the game. Rykaceski added two hits, a run and an RBI.
Sophomore left-hander Eric Ackerman (Denver, Pa./Cocalico) started on the mound for Pittsburgh and pitched two complete innings before he was relieved by sophomore Jeremy Rossi (Ridgway, Pa./Ridgway Area). Rossi pitched three and two-thirds innings, giving up seven hits and six runs. Senior Steve Vickroy (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop) received the loss when he gave up the go-ahead run in the sixth inning.
The Panthers move to 20-12 overall and 6-5 in the conference. Pittsburgh's game versus Kent, originally scheduled for April 11, was cancelled due to inclement weather. The Panthers will host Akron on April 12 (5 p.m.) before travelind across town to take on Duquesne on April 13 (4 p.m.).
