Pitt
Villanova
PANTHERS HOLD ON FOR 8-7 WIN OVER VILLANOVA
4/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 21, 2007
PITTSBURGH - The Pitt baseball team (18-16, 10-6 Big East) will be looking for a series sweep after an 8-7 victory over Villanova (18-17, 5-9 Big East) on Saturday afternoon at Trees Field.
The Panthers have now taken the first two games of the series as Paul Nardozzi (SR/Victor, N.Y./Victor) earned the win, improving to 4-1 in league play. Nardozzi pitched 5.0 innings giving up seven runs on seven hits, striking out six. The senior, who currently has 235, also needs just four strikeouts to move into first place in career strikeouts in Pitt history.
"That was a tough, gutsy performance by us today," Pitt Head Coach Joe Jordano said. "I thought Villanova gave us opportunities and we took advantage of them. It was good to get a win in a game where all the cylinders aren't clicking the way that they should be.
"Paul [Nardozzi] settled down and gave us five innings, which is what we needed from him today. We'll come back tough tomorrow, ready to play."
Villanova looked to have the game under control in the first inning, scoring four runs off of two home runs. The first was a three-run shot to center field and the second was a one-run homer to right.
The Wildcats added another run in the second inning for a 5-0 lead in the top of the second before Pitt could respond. The Panthers did just that with a six-run second inning scoring their first four hitters. Designated hitter Morgan Kielty (SO/Burlington, Ont./Burlington Central) drove in two more runs on a double, giving Pitt the 6-5 advantage.
Villanova tied up the game at 6-6 with an RBI groundout in the third inning. Nick Mullins (JR/Brick, N.J./Brookdale Community College) tripled to right center in the bottom of the third, driving in Dan Williams (JR/Berwyn Pa./Episcopal Academy) from first. Mullins went on to score a run himself in the inning off a Peter Parise (SR/Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) single. The two runs gave Pitt the 8-6 advantage after three.
Villanova threatened in the fifth, scoring a run off a sac fly to bring the game to within one run at 8-7, but the Wildcats could get no closer. Parise came in from the outfield in relief to pitch 2.2 innings giving up just one hit for the save.
Mullins finished the day hitting 2 for 3 with two runs scored and two RBI while Kielty hit 2 for 4 with two RBI.
Pitt concludes the three-game series with Villanova Sunday at noon at Trees Field.
