PITT BASEBALL DROPS TWO TO NYIT

Sunday, April 29

Trees Field

12:00 PM

Pitt

NYIT

4/29/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

April 29, 2007

Box Score

PITTSBURGH - The Pitt baseball team fell to NYIT in both games of a doubleheader at Trees Field on Sunday by scores of 6-4 and 8-6. In both contests, the Panthers' lead was dissolved as the Bears fought for two come-from-behind wins. Pitt fell to 19-19, while NYIT improved to 15-18 overall.

In game one, NYIT rallied in the final two innings of play, scoring six to top the Panthers 6-4. Bears first baseman Joe Esposito launched a two-run homer in the sixth for NYIT's first runs of the game. Pitt reliever Kyle Landis (JR/Hazelton, Pa./Hazelton) picked up the loss as he gave up the winning run in the top of the seventh.

Pitt starting pitcher Paul Nardozzi (SR/Victor, N.Y./Victor) held the Bears scoreless through five, as he tallied six strikeouts in six innings pitched. With his fourth strikeout, coming in the third inning, Nardozzi became the Panthers all-time career strikeout leader, passing Dave Welty's mark of 238 set in 1968.

The Panther offense started strong as Peter Parise (SR/Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) ripped an RBI double in the bottom of the first, scoring third baseman Gary Bucuren (RS FR/Ambridge, Pa./Kentucky) to give Pitt a 1-0 lead.

The Panthers added three more in the fourth when they took advantage of two NYIT errors and an RBI-double from catcher Nick Mullins (JR/Brick, N.J./Brookdale Community College), extending their lead to 4-0. Mullins went 2-2 on the day with two doubles, one RBI and one run-scored.

NYIT went on to score six unanswered runs to take game one by a score of 6-4.

The Bears offense continued to role in the second game as they took a 3-0 lead in the third, but the Panthers answered in the bottom half of the inning. Bucuren ripped a single to right field, scoring shortstop Danny Lopez (FR/Queens, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) and left fielder Sean Conley (JR/Chippewa, Pa./Blackhawk) to narrow the Bears' lead to 3-2.

Pitt added four runs to the board in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead, including a three-run homer by first baseman Edgard Sucre (SR/Miami, Fl./Archbishop Carroll), moving the score to 6-3.

Panthers' starter Nate Reed (FR/Reading, Pa./Oley Valley) held the Bears scoreless after the third as he went seven innings before giving way to reliever Mike Wood (FR/Endicott, N.Y./Union Endicott) in the eighth. Wood went just one inning before Pitt brought on Parise to close the game.

Parise looked to have the game all but won for the Panthers with two outs in the ninth, but the Bears tallied five runs off five hits to recapture the lead 8-6. Pitt was unable to muster any runs in the bottom half of the inning as NYIT completed the sweep.

The Panthers will be back in action at Trees Field Tuesday, May 1, vs. Akron and Wednesday, May 2, vs. Ohio University. Both games are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Pitt will travel to Washington D.C. on May 5, to take on Georgetown in a three-game weekend series.

NOTES: Paul Nardozzi has now tallied 241 career strikeouts. Edgard Sucre's three-run homer in today's game marked his first of the season. This series marked the first time the Panthers were swept by a team this season.

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