Baseball Wins Big Over Youngstown State 17-2

Photo by: Matt Hawley/Pitt Athletics

Baseball Wins Big Over Youngstown State 17-2

10/5/2019 11:16:00 PM | Baseball

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh baseball team defeated Youngstown State 17-2 Saturday night at Charles L. Cost Field. Nico Popa finished a double shy of the cycle, and the Panthers drew 14 walks along with 11 hits at the plate.

"Overall it was a great team effort tonight," said Pitt head coach Mike Bell. "Our pitching and defense was outstanding from the get-go, and we showed a lot of quality at-bats up and down the lineup. It was a great night of baseball highlighted by representation from all major-league teams for our first scout day. I was really proud of the effort and energy that our team brought today as we look to wrap up our fall practices later this week with our Blue and Gold Series."

Pitt won both of its fall home games by a combined score of 30-8, beating Akron 13-6 last Friday.

The Panthers secured its lead in their first trip to the plate with four runs. The bases were loaded with no outs with Jordan Anderson and Sky Duff both walking and Popa singling through the right side. Samuel Frontino knocked in Duff and Anderson with a one-out single to centerfield, and Kyle Hess followed with a two-RBI triple to left center.

The Panthers scored three more runs the next inning. With one out, Anderson reached on a fielding error by the shortstop. After Duff walked on four-straight balls, Popa homered to left field.

Pitt got three more runs the following inning. Bryce Hulett walked with one out, and Anderson singled to left field with two outs. Duff brought home Hulett with a single to centerfield, and Popa cleared the bases with a triple to left center.

The Panthers' biggest inning came in the fourth, recording five runs despite only having one hit in the frame. Frontino and Hess both walked, and Frontino advanced to third base with two outs following a fly out by Hulett. A wild pitch on a third strike allowed Justin Clark to reach first base and Frontino to score. A throwing error by the second baseman produced another run, and a second pitch resulted in Clark scoring. Popa loaded the bases with a walk, and David Yanni knocked in two runners with a single to left field.

The last two runs for Pitt came in the sixth inning. Nico Samarkos singled to left field with one out, and Mason Walker walked. After both baserunners advanced on a wild pitch with two outs, they scored on a single to left field by Nick Vera.

The Panthers used a different pitcher each inning, with eight not allowing a run in an inning of work and combining for 13 strikeouts and just two walks. Mitch Myers started and struck out two. Chris Cappas followed with three strikeouts, and Chris Gomez and Grant Powell each had two with Powell retiring the side. David Moore (five pitches) and Billy Corcoran (nine) also retired the side on a few pitches. Brady Devereux recorded three-straight outs with a strikeout in the last inning.

Popa was 3-5 with five RBI's, two runs and a walk. Duff reached base and scored in all four trips to the plate with three walks and a single. Frontino had a pair of walks along with a single.

Pitt concludes the fall season with its annual Blue-Gold Series, a three-game intrasquad meeting on Oct. 9-11 with first pitch set for noon for each day.

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