University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Panthers and Bulls Meet in Tampa This Weekend
4/2/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 2, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
PITTSBURGH - The University of Pittsburgh baseball team picks up Big East Conference action this weekend in Tampa, Fla., with a three-game set against the South Florida Bulls. Pitt and USF are among four teams tied for second place in the Big East standings at 4-2. First pitch for Friday's game will come at 7 p.m.
BULLS IN THE BIG EAST
South Florida enters the weekend with a 16-10 record and a 4-2 mark in the Big East, currently putting them in a tie for second. After sweeping Rutgers at home in the opening weekend of Big East Conference play, the Bulls dropped two of three on the road last weekend at Connecticut, their first series loss of the season.
LEADING THE CHARGE
USF is second in the Big East in on base percentage (.416) and hits (281), but leads the conference in walks allowed (71) as well as passed balls (20). The Bulls offense is led by nine players that stand with a batting average of .300 or better. Sophomore third baseman Johnathan Koscso has started all 25 games for the Bulls and leads the team in batting average (.364). On the mound, righty Derrick Schultz (3-1, 3.08) and fellow right-hander Matt Quevedo (4-0, 2.80) anchor the rotation.
SERIES HISTORY
USF leads the overall series 3-1, with all four games being decided by three runs or less. The Panthers dropped a two of three in Tampa during the 2007 season. The Panthers and Bulls met again in 2007, during the first round of the Big East Championship, with South Florida edging Pitt, 2-1.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
The Panthers and Bulls look to get some separation from each other in the Big East standings where both teams currently sit at 4-2 and attempt to close the gap with conference leading West Virginia (5-1).
BIG EAST HONOR ROLL
After batting .412 (7-for-17) and slugging 1.118 over five games last week, Chris Sedon was named to the Big East Conference Weekly Honor Roll. Sedon's honor marked the second time this season the Panthers have had a player featured among the Big East's weekly elite.
The junior second baseman and leadoff hitter for the Panthers tallied 12 RBI, three doubles, three home runs and stole four bases over the course of the week, helping Pitt to a 4-1 record and a 2-1 series win over Notre Dame.
WASTING NO TIME
The Panthers reached the 17 win mark in their 24th game this season, the second fastest in head coach Joe Jordano's tenure. In 2002, Pitt registered their 17th win in their 25th game while in 2003 and 2004, the Panthers reached the 17-win mark in just 19 games, going 15-4 in both seasons.
NO PITCHING AROUND
At .323, the Panthers carry the third highest team batting average in the Big East Conference. Ten Panthers are batting better than .300 for the season, with seven of those being everyday starters.
Chris Sedon leads the way with the third-highest average in the conference at .444 with Joe Leonard following in second at .376. Zach Duggan (.350), Danny Lopez (.348) and Matt Litzinger (.345) are all in the middle of the pack while Nathan Hood (.314) and John Schultz (.309) round out the list of Panthers over .300.
WE'RE GOING STREAKING
Leadoff hitter Chris Sedon started the season with an eight-game hitting streak before being shutout by Miami on March 11th. He went back to work the following game, embarking on a nine-game hitting streak which was snapped in a rain-shortened 7-4 win over Youngstown State. As of yesterday, Sedon is in the midst of a five-game streak and has hit in 22 of 24 games this season, including 15 games with at least two hits and 14 games with at least one RBI.
HOME RUN DERBY
The Panthers have totaled 32 home runs through 24 games this season, ranking them first in the Big East Conference. Ten different Panthers have hit at least one home run this season, lead by Chris Sedon's nine. Joe Leonard, Frank Mercurio and Cory Brownsten each have four while Matt Litzinger, Morgan Kielty, Nathan Hood and John Schultz each have two.
