Pitt
Villanova
Baseball Falls, 4-3, After Villanova Walk-Off Homerun
5/2/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 2, 2008
PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA--The Pitt baseball team dropped a heart-breaking, one-run loss to Villanova Friday afternoon at Villanova Park. Pitt posted a two-run eighth inning, tying the game at three, but it wasn't enough as Kyle Carver launched a walk-off homerun in the bottom of the ninth, lifting the Wildcats over the Panthers by a tally of 4-3.
Villanova (23-22, 7-12) plated the game's first three runs, scoring one in the first inning and two in the fourth off Pitt starter Nate Reed (SO/Reading, Pa./Oley Valley). Reed would hold the Wildcats scoreless through the next three innings, before being replaced on the mound by relief pitcher David Kaye (FR/Oakmont, Pa./Riverview).
Shortstop Danny Lopez (SO/Queens, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) plated the Panthers' (15-26, 6-13) first run of the game in the fourth inning, singling home right fielder John Schultz (Reading, Pa./Wilson West Lawn) to move the score to 3-1 in the Wildcats' favor. Lopez was the lone Panther to tally a multi-hit effort on the day, picking up two of Pitt's four hits in the game.
Catcher Nick Mullins (SR/Brick, N.Y./Brookdale Community College) continued to be hot at the plate, driving-in the tying runs in the eighth with a two-RBI triple to left-center field. Mullins scored both Dan Williams (SR/Berwyn, Pa./Episcopal Academy) and Joe Leonard (FR/Dawson, Pa./Connellsville) after the pair drew back-to-back walks off Villanova starter Jordan Ellis.
Reed went 8.0 innings, allowing three runs off five hits while striking out six batters. Kaye would enter the game in the ninth with the score even at 3-3. With one out, Carver stepped to the plate, notching the game-winning run off the freshman hurler.
Villanova reliever Josh Eidell earned the win for the Wildcats, as Kaye picked up the loss for the Panthers.
Pitt and Villanova will continue Big East action tomorrow with a 3:15 p.m. contest, followed by a 12:15 p.m. matchup on Sunday to close-out the weekend. The Panthers will then head home to host the first-ever Panther Classic as Central Michigan and Coppin State travel to Trees Field for the three-day classic.
