Pitt
Cincinnati
PITT BASEBALL CLAIMS DOUBLE-HEADER VICTORIES OVER CINCINNATI
3/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 25, 2007
PITTSBURGH - The Pitt baseball team (9-11, 3-3 Big East) picked up two victories on Sunday over league foe Cincinnati to win the series over the Bearcats 2-1.
In game one of the double-header, the Panthers shutout Cincinnati 3-0 on outstanding pitching from Paul Nardozzi (SR/Victor, N.Y./Victor). Game two, a 3-2 Pitt victory, saw Kyle Landis (RS-SO/Hazelton, Pa./Hazelton) come out of the bullpen to pitch 4.2 innings, giving up no runs on just one hit, while striking out eight batters.
"I was really proud of the fact that we came back from yesterday and had two outstanding performances," head coach Joe Jordano said. "We had great pitching performances from three players. Paul (Nardozzi) was outstanding and worked ahead of the count. Nate (Reed) gave up a hit but bared down after that and Kyle (Landis) continues to impress.
"What a difference a day makes," Jordano continued. "We have a big week coming up and I am excited about the possibility in the future."
In Pitt's 3-0 victory, Peter Parise (SR/Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) led the team with two hits and two RBI in the game. Parise drove in his first run of the day in the third inning on a single to right center. Daniel Lopez (FR/Queens, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) walked to get on base and advanced to second on a groundout. Parise then singled to drive in Lopez from second, giving Pitt a 1-0 lead after three innings.
In the fifth, Pitt added two more runs beginning with a Jordan Herr (RS-FR/Lancaster, Pa./Delaware) RBI double down the left field line scoring Nick Mullins (JR/Brick, N.J./Brookdale CC) from second. Parise earned his second RBI of the day on a single to center field, bringing in Herr.
Nardozzi pitched the full seven innings of the first game of the double-header, giving up no runs on four hits, walking no one and striking out four.
In game two, Cincinnati got out to the quick 2-0 start in the first inning on a Michael Earley home run. The Bearcats would be held scoreless the remainder of the game, however with tough defense from the Panthers.
Pitt got on the board in the third inning off back-to-back home runs by Herr and Sean Conley (JR/Chippewa, Pa./Blackhawk), tying up the game at 2-2. The homeruns were Herr's second and Conley's first of the season.
The Panthers added to their lead in the fifth. With runners on first and second, Gary Bucuren (RS-Fr/Ambridge, Pa./Kentucky) singled to center field, scoring Conley for the game-winner.
Landis entered the game in the fifth, relieving Nate Reed (FR/Reading, Pa./Oley Valley). Reed gave up two runs on five hits in 4.1 innings of play while striking out three. Landis faced 15 batters, giving up just one hit and one walk.
The Panthers will return to action Wednesday at Kent State for a 3 p.m. contest. They will then host Notre Dame in a three-game Big East series March 30-April 1 at Trees Field. A recap of Wednesday's game can be found on www.PittsburghPanthers.com.
NOTES:
• Jordan Herr leads the team with a .615 slugging percentage
• The series record between the teams now moves to a 2-2 tie after Pitt fell in a single game to the Bearcats in 2000.
• Pitcher Paul Nardozzi's seven-inning victory, was his first complete game of the season.
