University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
Notre Dame
Pitt Loses Fifth Straight in Series Opener vs. Notre Dame
3/31/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 31, 2006
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - A defensive battle for the first half of Friday's series opener, Notre Dame overcame a 1-0 deficit to score six unanswered runs and pushed Pitt's losing streak to five games with a 6-1 win.
The Panthers (11-13, 2-5 Big East) scored their only run in the top of the fifth inning for a 1-0 lead but the Fighting Irish tied it in the fifth, took a 2-1 lead in the sixth and added a run in the seventh and three more in the eighth for the 6-1 victory.
Pitt starting pitcher Rob Brant (Mansfield, Pa./Mansfield) looked good through four innings, allowing just three hits and a walk while keeping Notre Dame off the scoreboard. In the top of the fifth, shortstop Jimmy Mayer (Somerset, Pa./Somerset) connected on one of his four hits to drive in the Panthers' lone run and opened the game's scoring.
The Fighting Irish were able to get a couple hits off of Brant early in the bottom of the fifth and used a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 1-1. Brant remained in the game into the eighth inning, and finished by allowing 11 hits and all six runs in 7.1 innings of work. The loss dropped his record to 2-4 on the season.
Mayer was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate and also stole a base, while second baseman Jim Negrych (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Francis) added two more hits to keep his batting average against Big East opponents this year above .500 through seven games.
Five different Notre Dame batters had two hits apiece, while starter Jeff Samardzija scattered eight hits in eight innings, while walking one and striking out eight to improve to 3-1 on the season. In all, Panther batters were struck out 10 times.
The series continues tomorrow with a 1:05 contest at Frank Eck Stadium. Paul Nardozzi (Victor, N.Y./Victor) is scheduled to pitch for the Panthers.
NOTES: Mayer's four hits were a career best...the Panthers left seven on base during the contest...Negrych's double in the first inning was Pitt's only extra-base hit in the game.
