Panthers Claim Series over Presbyterian

Saturday, April 27

Pittsburgh, Pa

1 PM

Pitt

14-27

Presbyterian

20-23

Presbyterian

Pittsburgh

Panthers Claim Series over Presbyterian

4/27/2019 9:26:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Season Statistics (PDF)Game 1 Box Score (PDF)Game 2 Box Score ((PDF)

Hammer Tosses Career Gem as Pitt Splits Doubleheader

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh baseball team captured a series-clenching victory in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon, defeating Presbyterian 2-1 before falling in the extra-inning finale at Charles L. Cost Field.

The Panthers (14-28, 4-17 ACC) captured a win in the first game, downing Presbyterian 2-1 behind a solid start from Dan Hammer. Despite a seven-run comeback, the Panthers were edged in the 12-inning finale as the Blue Hose salvaged the series with a 9-7 victory.

Game One
The Panthers captured the series in the opening game, as Hammer's career performance helped catapult Pitt to a 2-1 victory.

Pitt would get on the board early, tallying a run in the first, working some small ball to take the initial advantage. Sky Duff would lead off the inning with a single up the middle, moving to second on a sacrifice bunt from Bryce O'Farrell. A single into left field from Nico Popa plated Duff and gave Pitt a 1-0 lead.

Both teams would remain scoreless until the seventh as Pitt added to its advantage. David Yanni got the inning started with a double into left center, moving to third on a sacrifice bunt from Cole MacLaren. A ground out off the bat of Zack Klapak pushed Yanni, across as Pitt took a 2-0 lead.

Presbyterian would keep it interesting in the ninth, scoring a lone run to cut the lead in half, but the Panthers would hold on for a 2-1 victory.

Hammer (3-5) was superb, throwing eight scoreless innings, allowing just five hits and one walk, striking out 11. The game marked the third double digit strikeout performance for the junior, tying a career best. The eight innings mark the longest outing of his career. Reliever Chase Smith closed it out, letting up an unearned run off two hits to earn his fourth save of the season.

The Panthers collected nine hits on the afternoon, led by a two-hit outing from Kyle Hess. All but one Pitt starter tallied a knock, with Popa and Klapak collecting the RBI.

Game Two
Pitt found itself in a substantial hole in the second game, going down 7-0 after a lone run in the third and a six-run frame in the sixth from the Blue Hose. The Panthers, however, would respond in a big way, plating seven in the eighth to tie things up and force extra innings.

Walks to Popa, Yanni and MacLaren loaded the bases with just one out in the eighth before Klapak would send a single through the right side to score Popa and put Pitt on the board. A bases loaded walk to Gregory Ryan Jr. and an infield single from Duff cut the lead to 7-3 in favor of the visitors.

The Panthers added on as O'Farrell would draw the second bases loaded walk of the inning before Connor Perry laced a two-run single into right to pull Pitt within one and force a pitching change. The Panthers tied it up on a sacrifice fly by Popa, as Pitt managed to plate seven in the inning.

In extra innings, both teams would have solid chances, but Presbyterian was able to push a pair across in the 12th on a two-run single up the middle, securing the victory and avoiding the sweep.

Freshman Billy Corcoran earned the start, going five innings, allowing three runs off five hits and one walk, striking out three. William Kirwan, David Moore, Chris Gomez, Mason Ronan and Brady Devereux all saw work out of the pen. Smith (3-6), in his third appearance of the series, tossed a career-high four innings, allowing two runs off five hits and one walk, striking out four.

The Panthers return to action Tuesday and Wednesday, hosting Maryland Eastern Shore in a two-game non-conference series. Pitt will return to ACC play the following weekend, traveling to Florida State for a three-game series in Tallahassee, Fla.

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