Baseball Signs Five for 2008-09

Nov. 20, 2007

The Pitt baseball team has signed five athletes to its 2008 early signing class, it was announce Tuesday by Panthers' head coach Joe Jordano. High school players Ray Black of Wilkes-Barre, Pa. and Matt Iannazzo of Norwalk, Conn., junior college athlete Chris Sedon of Plains, Pa. and transfers Cory Brownsten of Lockport, N.Y. and Nathan Hood of Cleburne, Texas will join Pitt for its 2008-09 season.

"Overall, this is a great class," Jordano said. "We looked at our needs for the 2008-09 season and we filled them. Flat-out, these kids are talented solid students and have a work ethic and approach to the game that we are looking for. I am very excited about where we are at with the program."

Black, a senior at Coughlin high school, will add another strong arm to the Panthers' pitching staff. The righthander features a fastball that reaches the low to mid-90's, as well as a slider that shows a lot of potential with the right development.

Black has received a number of accolades as a high school athlete, including reaching the PA American Legion East-West All-Star game, a great honor for a high school player. He was also named the MVP of the All-East Game and was chosen to play in the prestigious Area Code Games for the Yankees Northeast Team. Black also participated in the Baseball Express Cape Cod Classic.

"Ray came out of nowhere with his performance this summer and quickly put himself at the top of our recruiting list," Jordan said. "He's got Friday-night-starter stuff and it's just a matter of us helping him develop. We think Ray will be a force on the mound for our program from day one."

Iannazzo joins Black as the other high school player in the Panthers' early signing class. Hailing from Norwalk high school, the tough lefthander will bring a mix of three solid pitches to the mound for the Panthers, including a mid-80's fastball.

As a three sport athlete, Iannazzo was named to the All FCIAC teams in both football and baseball as a junior. By choosing Pitt, he will be reunited with former Bayside Yankees teammate and current Panther freshman Corey Baker (New City, N.Y./Clarkstown) next fall.

"Matt comes to us from the Bayside Yankees, one of the elite travel teams in the country," Jordano said. "After pitching against some of the best hitters in the country this summer, Matt will be ready to step in and pitch right away for us. We expect Matt's competitiveness and the fact that he has three above average pitches to help him become a consistent winner at the collegiate level."

Sedon will join the Panthers from Lackawanna Junior College. This versatile infielder will bring both speed and a consistent bat to Pitt's lineup. Hitting .336 with four homeruns and 22 stolen basses, Sedon helped Lackawanna capture the 2007 Region XIX Championship.

"Chris is a tremendous athlete and a great leader," Jordano said. "We think he can play any one of three spots [shortstop, second base or third base] in the infield and projects to be a top-of-the-lineup-type hitter for us. He continues the tradition of great players from Lackawanna to choose Pitt."

Brownsten looks to play a prominent role behind the plate for the Panthers in 2008-09. A transfer from Monroe Community College, Brownsten helped lead his former team to the 2007 NJCAA CII World Series, hitting .322 with three homeruns, 18 RBI and a .571 slugging percentage.

"Cory is a great addition to our program," Jordano said. "He is an offensive catcher and handles a pitching staff very well. We expect him to be an important part of our 2008 club."

The Panthers' final signee, Hood, is a transfer from North Central Community College. A legitimate two-way threat, Hood was named to the 2007 NTJCAC All-Conference team as a utility player. He hit .377 with four homeruns and 38 RBI last season, as well as compiled an impressive .471 on-base percentage and .549 slugging percentage, leading his team to the NJCAA Division I Region 5 finalist in the North Central.

"Nathan is a great find for our program. We have had a few players from Texas come to Pitt and all have done well. Nathan is a very solid two-way player and we expect him to contribute both on the mound and in the infield. He is a proven player coming from a great program."

In all, the Panthers signed two pitchers, an infielder, a catcher and a utility player in their 2008 early signing class.

"With the success that we have had in the past, with the future that includes a great, state-of-the-art baseball stadium and with the talented student-athletes we continue to attract, we are poised to be in position to continue our goal to be one of the best programs in the East."

Pitt will begin its 2008 season on Feb. 22, as it faces Virginia Tech in the first game of the IMICHOTEL INN-vitational in Conway, S.C.

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