Baseball To Open 2020 Season at the Snowbird Classic

Friday, February 14

Port Charlotte, Fla.

12 p.m.

Pitt

Indiana State

Photo by: Matt Hawley/Pitt Athletics

Baseball To Open 2020 Season at the Snowbird Classic

2/13/2020 7:43:00 PM | Baseball

Live Stream Live Stats Game Notes 2020 Media Guide

PITTSBURGH – Pitt baseball opens the season this weekend at the Snow Bird Classic in Port Charlotte, Fla. The Panthers start the neutral site tournament Friday with a doubleheader against Indiana State (12 p.m.) and Saint Joseph's (4:30 p.m.), then Ohio State (6 p.m.) Saturday and conclude with a 11 a.m. matchup versus Iowa.

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG

The match will air live on Flo Baseball (paid subscription required).
Fans can also follow live stats HERE.
Updates from the weekend will also be provided on Twitter. Follow @Pitt_BASE for the latest news and updates about the team.

ALL TIME SERIES VS. OPPONENTS

This will be the first-ever matchup against Indiana State in program history.
Pitt holds the advantage in the series with Saint Joseph's 10-3 with an eight-game winning streak. This is the first matchup between the two schools since March 19, 2010, a 14-1 Panthers' road victory.
Ohio State has won 20 of 22 contests against Pitt. The Panthers won the last meeting 7-2 on Feb. 18, 2017 in Kissimmee, Fla.
Iowa has earned two victories in three games versus Pitt, including a 10-1 victory last year on Feb. 16 also in Kissimmee.

MANY, MANY NEW PANTHER FACES

Head coach Mike Bell welcomes 21 newcomers to this year's team, the most of any ACC squad.
These new players came from various routes before arriving to campus with nine JUCO transfers, 10 true freshmen out of high school and two Division I transfers.
Four players have already seen time at the Division I level. C.J. McKennitt (Holy Cross) and Grant Hoppock (USC Upstate) come straight to Pitt from their previous institutions.
Dylan Lester (Houston) and Jordan Anderson (Mississippi State) spent the previous season at their respective junior colleges after spending time at programs with rich traditions. The seven other JUCO guys will counted on to step in and contribute right away for the Panthers: Samuel Frontino, Bryce Hulett, Grant Powell, Mitch Myers, Justin Clark, Riley Wash and Matt Gilbertson.
The true freshman also have the opportunity to grab playing time for this year's squad: Mason Walker, Nick Vera, Cameron Barto, Grant Santangelo, Chris Pouliot, Tom Colcombe, Adam Bloebaum, Jarett Bach, Zion Spearman and Zach Holcomb.

RETURNING PANTHERS

Pitt has 12 letterwinners return from last year's squad, including proven talent that has garnered ACC accolades.
Nico Popa had a breakout 2019 season to be one of the best hitters in the league and earn ABCA/Rawlings All-Region First Team and All-ACC Second Team Honors. He led the conference in triples (five) and ranked fifth in batting average (.353). Also, he provided much power at the plate with 28 extra-base hits, including 15 doubles and eight homers, for 39 RBI's.
A third-team all-conference selection in 2018, Ron Washington Jr. will look to increase his numbers like he did last year. Limited to 39 games, Washington Jr. batted .306 last year with a team-high 17 double and two homers for a .465 slugging percentage.
Billy Corcoran showed he belonged right away as a freshman and will be counted on to be once again a weekend starter for the Panthers. In 2019 he ranked 2nd on the team in ERA (3.80) and WHIP (1.32) along with 54 strikeouts.
Sky Duff (second base) and Kyle Hess (left field) are the two other returning starters for Pitt. Both claimed starting roles right away as freshman last season and look for breakout sophomore campaigns. Duff led the team with 40 walks, ranked fourth in batting average (.260) and had eight doubles. Hess had 10 extra-base hits and 33 RBI's.

YEAR 2

Bell enters his second season leading the Panthers' program.
Last year, Pitt posted 21 victories, including marquee victories over No. 11 North Carolina, No. 7 Georgia Tech and national powerhouse Florida State.
Connor Perry (second team) and Popa earned ABCA/Rawlings All-Region honors. Derek West joined Popa on the All-ACC Second Team, while Perry garnered a third team selection.
Dan Hammer (13th round-Baltimore Orioles), West (14th round-Houston Astros) and Perry (28th round-Detroit Tigers) were selected in the MLB Draft, and Cole MacLaren (Detroit Tigers) joined them in the professional ranks as a free-agent signing.

OPENING DAY

Pitt is 38-40 all-time on Opening Day, having won seven-straight, dating back to the 2013 season.
Last year the Panthers defeated former Big East foe Villanova 7-2.
Iowa gave Pitt its last lost on the season-opener, 7-5, in 2012.

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