Pitt
West Virginia
Baseball Tops Mountaineers, 5-2
5/14/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 14, 2011
PITTSBURGH - Pitt baseball won its fifth straight contest against West Virginia, Saturday, downing the Mountaineers 5-2 at Charles L. Cost Field at the Petersen Sports Complex.
The Panthers (30-19, 14-9 BIG EAST) collected eight hits to clinch the series.
Junior Anthony Defabio drove in three runs while senior Travis Whitmore accounted for the other two. Both batters finished with two hits.
Scoreless after four innings, the Panthers jumped out to a 2-0 lead when Whitmore hit a bases-loaded 2-RBI single through the right side with two outs.
The Mountaineers (27-22, 13-10 BIG EAST) pulled within one run in the fifth and tied the game in the top of the sixth.
In the bottom of the frame, Defabio hit a bases loaded single to left field, scoring seniors John Schultz and Kevan Smith. Schultz led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second after Smith was hit by a pitch. With runners at first and second, clean-up hitter David Chester placed a perfect bunt down the first base line, reaching safely and loading the bases.
Chester flashed the glove as well, making a sliding catch near the West Virginia dugout in the top of the eighth.
Defabio plated his third RBI in the seventh, a one out single to left.
Senior Corey Baker (5-2) pitched six strong innings to record the win, allowed six hits and two runs while walking one and striking out two. Sophomore Alex Caravella notched his fourth save of the season, throwing the final three innings without allowing a run.
The Panthers look to sweep the series for the second consecutive season when the teams play the finale on Sunday. First pitch is slated for noon. Eleven seniors will be honored before the game.
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