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Pitt Downs UMBC 12-8 in Florida Finale
3/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 17, 2009
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Kevin Dooley picked up his first win of the year as the University of Pittsburgh baseball team scored six runs over the final two innings to drop Maryland-Baltimore County 12-8 in its final game at the Papa John’s Classic in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Chris Sedon, Danny Lopez, Matt Litzinger and Zach Duggan each totaled at least two hits on the day. Sedon and Lopez each collected a game-high three RBI in the winning effort.
Pitt (8-5) put up two in the first and second innings, highlighted by a two-run homer from Sedon in the second, taking a 4-0 lead over the Retrievers. UMBC rallied to tie the game in the third, taking advantage of doubles by Bryan Russo and Brad Brainer and an error by Pitt catcher Cory Brownsten.
Heading into the bottom of the seventh inning down 7-6, the Panthers took the lead for good with a four-run explosion. Frank Mercurio singled to start while Chris Warner walked and Nathan Hood reach on an error to led off the inning. Brownsten reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Warner before back-to-back singles from Litzinger and Duggan. Sedon’s sacrifice fly scored Brownsten to end the Pitt rally.
The Panthers added two more in the bottom of the eighth by way of a Lopez double, extending their lead to 12-7. UMBC led off the top half of the ninth with two straight singles, but could not manage anything after a Max Himmelstein RBI sacrifice fly.
Pitt ends their Florida road trip with an 8-5 overall record, going 7-2 in the Sunshine State. Up next for the Panthers is a non-conference game against Youngstown State, Tuesday, March 17 at 3 p.m.
