PITT BASEBALL FALLS 4-2 TO LIPSCOMB

Sunday, February 25

Nashville, TN

2:00 PM

Pitt

Lipscomb

PITT BASEBALL FALLS 4-2 TO LIPSCOMB

2/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Feb. 25, 2007

Box Score

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Pitt baseball team fell 4-2 to Lipscomb in its final game of the Music City Classic on Sunday at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn. Down by four runs in the top of the ninth, senior Seth Button gave the Panthers a chance when he blasted a two-run homer. Button's efforts were not enough, however, as Pitt moved to 0-6 on the season.

The game started out as a defensive dual, with both teams going scoreless through four. The Panthers got their offense started in the top of the second, but were unable to produce any runs. Designating hitter Morgan Kielty (Burlington, Ontario/Burlington Central) led off with a single up the middle and was followed by Button (Elk Lake, Pa./Gloucester College), who knocked a single up the middle as well. With two on and no out, Pitt was unable to muster any runs off Bisons (7-4) starter Brandon McClurg, as the game remained 0-0.

Pitt starter Nate Reed (Reading, Pa./Oley Valley) held the Bisons to just two hits until the fifth inning when Lipscomb scored the game's first run off a pair of singles with two outs.

After a scoreless top of the sixth, the Panther defense held strong in the bottom half of the inning to keep the Bisons within a run. Starting catcher Nick Mullins (Brick, NJ/Brookdale Community College) threw out sophomore Caleb Joseph as he attempted to steal third. The Lipscomb offense came back firing in the bottom of the seventh, however, and produced three runs on four hits, advancing the score to 4-0.

Reed (0-2) ended the game with seven innings pitched, earning the loss while tossing three strikeouts and three walks. Reliever Kyle Landis (Hazelton, Pa./Hazelton), making his third appearance of the season, closed out the game for Pitt, pitching one scoreless inning and earning a strikeout.

Down four going into the top of the ninth, Pitt got what it needed from the middle of its lineup. Leading off was Kielty, who knocked his second single on the day past shortstop Ben Williams. Button came to the plate and ripped a deep shot to left-center field for his third homerun of the year, narrowing Lipscomb's lead to 4-2.

The Bisons then brought in reliever John King, who finished things off, striking out two of the final four Panther batters.

Pitt will continue play Saturday, March 4, when it travels to Clearwater, Fla. for spring training in the Clearwater Invitational. The Panthers will face Sacred Heart at 2:15 p.m. on March 4, and take on Saint Joseph's following the Sacred Heart game.

NOTES: Morgan Kielty went 2-4 on the day with two singles, while Seth Button went 2-3, including a single and two-run homer, while both players each scored one of the Panthers' two runs. Button has now tallied hits in five out of six games for the Panthers. He currently leads the team in slugging percentage with an impressive .739 average. Gary Bucuren and Daniel Lopez also tallied hits in today's contest. Bucuren currently leads the team with a .364 batting average, going 8-22 with five singles, one double, one triple and one homerun for five RBIs.

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