Fall Ball Recap: Week 4

10/23/2018 3:38:00 PM | Baseball

2018 Fall Schedule Exhibition vs. Youngstown State Gallery

Panthers Defeat Youngstown State, Return to Practice

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh baseball team wrapped up week four of fall ball as the Panthers capped the week with a 7-3 victory over Youngstown State in the home finale of the exhibition season.

PANTHERS DOWN YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Pitt concluded the home portion of its exhibition season Friday evening, defeating Youngstown State 7-3 at Charles L. Cost Field. Pitt scored five in the first two innings and extended its lead to 7-0 in the fourth. Sophomore Bryce O'Farrell tallied a pair of doubles, while Kris Soto, Chris Cappas, Kyle Hess and Nico Popa all recorded RBI on the afternoon.

The Panthers used nine pitchers in the game – getting solid performances from Christian Camacho, Chris Gomez, Mason Ronan and Brady Devereux.

A full photo gallery of the exhibition can be found here.

Postgame interviews…

ACC SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
The Panthers announced their ACC slate for the 2019 season, as all 10 opponents and dates are available on PittsburghPanthers.com.

March 8-10 – at NC State
March 15-17 – vs. Virginia Tech
March 22-24 – at Virginia
March 29-31 – vs. Miami
April 5-7 – at Duke
April 12-14 – vs. Wake Forest
April 19-21 – vs. Notre Dame
May 3-5 – at Florida State
May 10-12 – vs. North Carolina
May 16-18 – at Georgia Tech

SOPHOMORE PITCHER CHASE SMITH
On how the team is adapting…
"Throughout this whole fall, considering we had a lot of new guys come in this year, it was really cool to watch us bond as a group."

On the team's performance against the Toronto Mets…
"This Friday it was really cool to watch the pitchers compete and watch the hitters do what they do best and put the ball in play when they needed to."

On what the team is looking to accomplish against Youngstown State…
"This Friday we really want to do what we've been doing all fall and just compete every time we get the chance."

FRESHMAN OUTFIELDER KYLE HESS
On the transition from high school to playing at Pitt…
"It's been good. It's been fun, you get to play baseball every day. School has been a little bit challenging having to balance baseball and school is kind of a lot, but it's been fun."

On the performance against the Toronto Mets…
"I thought we did pretty good, it was good to play against another team, new faces. I thought we did pretty well collectively, it was good."

On what the team is looking to accomplish against Youngstown State…
"Just the same thing that we go out and do every day – get better. We get the opportunity to see new faces and see a new team so just to be able to go out and compete and try to get better."

MAKING MIRACLES
The Panthers teamed up with the Miracle League of South Hills on Oct. 13, taking part in the league's season finale at Boyce Mayview Park. Pitt assisted on the field as the Rangers and Orioles battled to a 21-21 tie and each member of the Miracle League teams took home Pitt baseball tshirts. A full photo gallery of Saturday's event can be found here.

Junior Dan Hammer…
"It was great being out here at Miracle League. I had the opportunity to be here two years ago and it was great to be back to today. Just to see the kids smile, it was a great feeling."

Freshman Mason Ronan…
"It was a blast today to get out and work with some of these kids and make them really happy. These kids have a special place in my heart and to be able to work with them, it was really fun, and just to make their day it was a really humbling experience."

OFFENSE ELECTRIC IN EXHIBITION OPENER
The Panthers took part in their first exhibition of the 2018 fall campaign, downing the Toronto Mets 21-3 at Charles L. Cost Field. Pitt scored at least one run in six of its eight offensive innings, homering four times and finishing the contest without any strikeouts. Senior Connor Perry would smack a pair of homers, including a grand slam, as he tallied six RBI.

Nine pitchers saw work on the mound as the Panthers got solid performances from veterans Dan Hammer and Derek West, as well as Christian Camacho and Billy Corcoran.

A full photo gallery of Friday's exhibition can be found here.

Postgame interviews…

BRING IN BELL
The season ushers in the first for newly appointed head coach Mike Bell, who was introduced by Director of Athletics Heather Lyke on July 13. Bell joins the Panthers after a seven-year stint as the associate head coach and pitching coach at ACC powerhouse Florida State. Bell brings more than 14 years of NCAA Division I coaching experience to the Panthers and is just the fifth head coach in Pitt baseball history.

UP NEXT
The Panthers will conclude the official fall season as practice wraps up leading way to the #FallBrawl. Pitt will head to Morgantown, W.Va., taking on the rival Mountaineers at 6 p.m. Friday.

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