University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
Duquesne
Baseball Claims Win Over Duquesne in 10 Innings
4/14/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 13, 2000
PITTSBURGH - The Panthers baseball team took on crosstown rival Duquesne at Duuesne Field on Thursday and defeated the Dukes, 6-3, in 10 innings. Pittsburgh improved to 22-12 overall on the season and are 6-5 in the Big East Conference.
Duquesne took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Jed Fiscus singled to knock in Nick Danzuso from third base. The Dukes extended its lead to 2-0 when Rocky Kravetz scored on a double steal.
However, the Panthers took the lead with a three-run fifth inning, beginning with a double with the bases loaded by freshman rightfielder Joe Burger (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk). The hit almost cleared the bases, scoring both Corey Joyce (Scranton, Pa./Lackawanna C.C.) and Charis Britt (Penn Hills, Pa./Gluf Coast C.C.), but senior second baseman Harry Ciavarella (Moscow, Pa./North Pocono) stumbled while rounding third and was called out at home plate. Burger provided the tying run, however, when sophomore centerfielder Stuart Rykaceski (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) singled for the RBI.
The Dukes were able to tie up the game at 3-3 in the sixth when Britt over-threw third baseman Joe Lydic (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) on a steal attempt. No more runs were scored in the remainder of the game to force extra innings. The Panthers took command of the lead with three runs in the top of the 10th. Shortstop Christopher Happ (Rochester, N.Y./Greece-Athena) led off the inning by reaching first on an error by Duquesne's first baseman. Rykaceski then advanced Happ to second on a ground out to the pitcher. Lydic followed with a walk before freshman Brant Colamarino (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) advanced both runners on another ground out. Senior leftfielder Erik Katchur (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) then singled to score both Lydic and Happ for the go-ahead runs. Britt added an RBI single later in the inning to score Katchur from third, to give the Pathers a three-run lead and the eventual win.
Junior reiever Scott Schultz (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) received his second win of the season after solid pitching in three and one-third innings of work. He allowed just one hit and one walk, while striking out four batters to hold the Dukes scoreless in his time on the mound. Freshman T.J. Gornati (Kersey, Pa./St. Mary's) started for Pittsburgh with junior Josh Knauff (Union City, Pa./Union City) also appearing in relief.
Pittsburgh will host Connecticut in a three-game Big East weekend series beginning with a doubleheader (Noon) on Saturday, April 15, at Trees Field. The Panthers will meet the Huskies again on Sunday for a single game at noon.
