Pitt
Akron
PANTHERS EARN 5-4 COMEBACK WIN OVER AKRON
5/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 1, 2007
Coach Jordano Talks About the Win (mp3 download)
Dan Williams on His Game-Winning Homer (mp3 download)
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PITTSBURGH - The Pitt baseball team (20-19) fought back from a two-run deficit to earn a 5-4 win over Akron (19-16) Tuesday night at Trees Field.
"This was a really solid win tonight," Pitt Head Coach Joe Jordano said. "Akron is a very good team. They are well-coached and know how to play. We hung tough with them and tonight's game was a good effort."
Ryan Dunford (SO/Buffalo, N.Y./Bishop Timon) pitched 5.0 innings, giving up three runs on five hits in the no decision for him. The win went to Mike Bassage (SR/Hornell, N.Y./Hornell), who gave up one run on two hits in 3.0 innings of work. Peter Parise (SR/Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) earned the save giving up one hit in the top of the ninth.
"The guys pitched well," Jordano said. "Ryan gave us a chance and Mike threw really well in there. We got a big two-run homerun from Dan (Williams) to give us the win and then Peter came in and closed it out. Overall, tonight was a solid win."
Pitt scored first in a Danny Lopez (FR/Queens, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) ground-out RBI, bringing home Edgard Sucre (SR/Miami, Fla./Archbishop Carroll) from third in the second inning.
In the third, Sean Conley (JR/Chippewa, Pa./Blackhawk) singled to the shortstop to get on base. Parise, up to bat next in the order, brought Conley home on a double to center field for the 2-0 Pitt advantage.
Akron took the 3-2 lead in the fourth on two doubles and a single. Kevin Haas of Akron totaled two doubles on the night in a 2 for 4 night.
The Zips added one run in the sixth for the 4-2 lead off a single by Doug McNulty.
In the bottom of the sixth, Pitt added a run early when catcher Morgan Kielty (SO/Burlington, Ont./Burlington Central) doubled to right field. He scored on a Sucre double down the right field line for the 4-3 Akron advantage.
Pitt second baseman Dan Williams (JR/Berwyn, Pa./Episcopal Academy) recorded the game-winning hit with a two-run homer to left field in the bottom of the eighth. The win gives Pitt a two-game sweep over the Zips this season including a 4-2 victory on the road earlier in the year.
The Panthers return to action Wednesday, May 2 at 6 p.m. against Ohio at Trees Field. Pitt will then travel to Georgetown for a three-game Big East series on the weekend.
