Pitt Falls to East Carolina in Keith LeClair Classic, 4-2

Saturday, March 1

Greenville, N.C.

3:00 PM

Pitt

4-4

East Carolina

5-5

Pittsburgh

East Carolina

Pitt Falls to East Carolina in Keith LeClair Classic, 4-2

3/1/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 1, 2014

Box Score

GREENVILLE, N.C. - The University of Pittsburgh baseball team (4-4) dropped a 4-2 contest to tournament host East Carolina (5-5) Saturday afternoon in the second game of the Keith LeClair Classic in Greenville, N.C. The loss put the Panthers at a .500 record for the first time since May 24, 2012.

Brett Mabry (1-0, 0.82 ERA) was credited with the win for the Pirates, allowing one hit over 3.2 innings in relief. Joseph Harvey (JR/Audobon, Pa.) (0-1, 4.66 ERA) took the loss for Pitt after surrendering three runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings during his debut as a starter.

"We played hard today, but again we did not come up with the big hit," head coach Joe Jordano said. "Harvey did a solid job in his first collegiate start and our bullpen kept it close. We have to continue to stick to the process and keep improving with each opportunity that we have. At this level of baseball there is a very fine margin of error. We must learn how to compete at that level and I am very confident that we will. Tomorrow we will face another well-coached, very talented team in Western Kentucky. It is another chance for us to compete against a quality opponent."

The Panthers struck first offensively, plating one run in the top of the first inning. Dylan Wolsonovich (SO/Ford City, Pa.) and Casey Roche (SR/Downingtown, Pa.) drew back-to-back one-out walks after Stephen Vranka (SR/Monroeville, Pa.) led off with a fly ball out to center field. Boo Vazquez (JR/Youngstown, Ohio) then slapped a groundball to second for the second out of the frame. Drew Reynolds let a throw to third sail away on the play, allowing Wolsonovich to score to put the Panthers up by one run, 1-0.

Reynolds and Zach Houchins opened East Carolina's half of the fourth with consecutive singles and both runners then advanced to second and third on a passed ball. Reynolds scored on a groundball out to the right side and Houchins came across on a Luke Lowery bunt single to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead.

In the top of the fifth, A.J. Lardo (SO/Baltimore, Md.) singled through the left side of the infield and Matt Johnson (JR/Plano, Texas) followed with a base on balls. After Lardo and Johnson advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch, Eric Hess (JR/Erie, Pa.) walked to load the bases. Lardo then scored on a passed ball to knot the game at a 2-2 score.

Dylan Brown started off the bottom of the fifth with a single to the left side. Brown then advanced to second on a passed ball and added a swipe of third base. Garrett Brooks singled to left field to plate the final run of the game to give East Carolina a 4-2 advantage.

Hobie Harris (JR/McKinney, Texas) finished the game on the mound for the Panthers, tossing 2.2 shutout innings in relief while chalking up three strikeouts and allowing just one hit.

Pitt returns to action tomorrow morning against Western Kentucky at 10:30 a.m. in the final game of the Keith LeClair Classic. Rhys Aldenhoven (SR/Victoria, Australia) will toe the rubber in the tournament finale for the Panthers.

For more information on Pitt baseball, follow the media relations Twitter account at @PittBaseballACC and the coaching staff at @PITTBASEBALL.