Friday, February 14
Port Charlotte, Fla.
12 p.m.
Pitt
1-0
11
vs
1
Indiana State
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Indiana State
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
7
1
Pitt
2
0
0
4
4
0
0
1
X
11
12
0
Baseball Wins Twice on Opening Day
2/15/2020 1:49:00 AM | Baseball
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – Pitt baseball won both games on opening day of the 2020 season Friday in the Snowbird Classic at North County Regional Park, defeating Indiana State 11-1 and then 14-8 over Saint Joseph's in 14 innings. The Panthers came from behind to tie the game up in the ninth against the Hawks and then scored six runs in the last inning to secure the victory.
GAME TWO-SAINT JOSEPH'S
On a late night from the second game of the day, the Panthers' bat finally broke out in the 14th inning. Riley Wash started it all with one out on a double down the right field line and scored on a double to centerfield by Bryce Hulett. The five other runs came with two outs. Nico Popa walked, and David Yanni brought home both runners on a double to centerfield. After Ron Washington, Jr. reached on a fielder's choice, Kyle Hess hit an RBI-single up the middle. The bases became loaded after Samuel Frontino was hit by a pitch, and Sky Duff and Wash drew consecutive RBI-walks.
Washington, Jr. sent the game into extra's on a one-out solo homer to left field in the ninth inning.
Pitt had led almost the entire time before that inning, quickly grabbing the lead in the first. Jordan Anderson hit the first pitch of the game for a double to left center, and Popa got a single near the same spot on the next pitch. The Panthers produced two runs on sac flies by Yanni and Frontino.
The Panthers doubled their lead in the fourth inning. Frontino singled to centerfield with one out, stole second base and scored on a single to centerfield by Duff. After Duff advanced to second base on a groundout, Grant Santangelo's first collegiate hit went through the left side to bring home Duff.
The Hawks cut their deficit to one on a three-RBI triple to right field in the bottom of the inning, and Pitt responded with two runs in the next inning. Frontino had his own triple to right field to knock in Washington, Jr. and Popa.
After Saint Joseph's produced two runs, Pitt pushed its lead back to two runs when Duff jogged home after a balk.
The Hawks' short lead came in the eighth inning on a pair of RBI-hits.
Grant Powell picked up his first win as a Panther with four scoreless innings of relief, striking out five batters with just one hit and no walks. Chase Smith also 2.1 shutout innings in relief with four strikeouts, two hits and four walks.
GAME ONE-INDIANA STATE
The Panthers used the long ball for the win against the Sycamores. In the first inning Popa was hit by a pitch with one out, and Washington, Jr. hit the first Panthers' home run of the season just over the centerfield fence.
The second home run came in the fourth inning. Washington, Jr. led off with a walk before Hess homered to right field. With one out, Hulett singled to centerfield. Wash then added his own two-run homer to centerfield.
The Panthers continued the scoring in the next inning. Washington Jr. added another RBI-hit with a double to right center, knocking in Yanni. The bases became loaded after a single through the left side by Hess and a Frontino walk. Hulett brought home Washington, Jr. and Hess on a single to left field, and Wash scored Frontino with a double to left field.
The last run came in the Panthers' final trip to the plate on an RBI-single to left field by Hess.
Billy Corcoran started and threw five scoreless innings with a career-high eight strikeouts and only three hits and two walks. Chris Gomez had two shutout innings of relief with one strikeout, one hit and no walks. Powell recorded the last three outs all by striking out the three batters he faced.
NEWS AND NOTES
UP NEXT
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram
.@CoachMikeBell22 on his team's victorious opening day, big performances at the plate & resilience in a 14-inning game.#H2P pic.twitter.com/vGzaDr3ef5
— Pitt Baseball (@Pitt_BASE) February 15, 2020
GAME TWO-SAINT JOSEPH'S
WHAT AN OPENING DAY! A come-from-behind 1??4?? inning victory with a 6-run rally in the last inning. @RWashingtonJr1 solo HR extended the game in the 9th, and @Chase_s29 & @grant_powell9 combined to throw 6.1 scoreless innings of relief.#H2P pic.twitter.com/ErMuRMZcEZ
— Pitt Baseball (@Pitt_BASE) February 15, 2020
On a late night from the second game of the day, the Panthers' bat finally broke out in the 14th inning. Riley Wash started it all with one out on a double down the right field line and scored on a double to centerfield by Bryce Hulett. The five other runs came with two outs. Nico Popa walked, and David Yanni brought home both runners on a double to centerfield. After Ron Washington, Jr. reached on a fielder's choice, Kyle Hess hit an RBI-single up the middle. The bases became loaded after Samuel Frontino was hit by a pitch, and Sky Duff and Wash drew consecutive RBI-walks.
Washington, Jr. sent the game into extra's on a one-out solo homer to left field in the ninth inning.
Pitt had led almost the entire time before that inning, quickly grabbing the lead in the first. Jordan Anderson hit the first pitch of the game for a double to left center, and Popa got a single near the same spot on the next pitch. The Panthers produced two runs on sac flies by Yanni and Frontino.
The Panthers doubled their lead in the fourth inning. Frontino singled to centerfield with one out, stole second base and scored on a single to centerfield by Duff. After Duff advanced to second base on a groundout, Grant Santangelo's first collegiate hit went through the left side to bring home Duff.
The Hawks cut their deficit to one on a three-RBI triple to right field in the bottom of the inning, and Pitt responded with two runs in the next inning. Frontino had his own triple to right field to knock in Washington, Jr. and Popa.
After Saint Joseph's produced two runs, Pitt pushed its lead back to two runs when Duff jogged home after a balk.
The Hawks' short lead came in the eighth inning on a pair of RBI-hits.
Grant Powell picked up his first win as a Panther with four scoreless innings of relief, striking out five batters with just one hit and no walks. Chase Smith also 2.1 shutout innings in relief with four strikeouts, two hits and four walks.
GAME ONE-INDIANA STATE
Couldn't have had a better 1st game of the season! 5 shutout innings by @BillyCorcoran32 & homers @RWashingtonJr1, @RileyWash03 & @Hessy21Kyle led the way in a big victory.#H2P pic.twitter.com/UphCX0VFsh
— Pitt Baseball (@Pitt_BASE) February 14, 2020
The Panthers used the long ball for the win against the Sycamores. In the first inning Popa was hit by a pitch with one out, and Washington, Jr. hit the first Panthers' home run of the season just over the centerfield fence.
The second home run came in the fourth inning. Washington, Jr. led off with a walk before Hess homered to right field. With one out, Hulett singled to centerfield. Wash then added his own two-run homer to centerfield.
The Panthers continued the scoring in the next inning. Washington Jr. added another RBI-hit with a double to right center, knocking in Yanni. The bases became loaded after a single through the left side by Hess and a Frontino walk. Hulett brought home Washington, Jr. and Hess on a single to left field, and Wash scored Frontino with a double to left field.
The last run came in the Panthers' final trip to the plate on an RBI-single to left field by Hess.
Billy Corcoran started and threw five scoreless innings with a career-high eight strikeouts and only three hits and two walks. Chris Gomez had two shutout innings of relief with one strikeout, one hit and no walks. Powell recorded the last three outs all by striking out the three batters he faced.
NEWS AND NOTES
- Washington, Jr. matched his home run total from all of last season. For the day he was 5-10 with six runs, four RBI's, two walks and a double.
- Pitt is now 40-40 all-time on Opening Day, having won nine-straight dating back to the 2013 season.
- Hulett went 4-7 with a double, three RBI and a run.
- Wash finished 3-6 with two doubles, four RBI and two runs.
- Seven Panthers had at least two RBI's on the day, including four by Hess, three from Frontino and two by Duff.
- Chris Cappas started against Saint Joseph's, allowing three runs, four hits and four walks with six strikeouts.
- 13 Panthers made their debuts with the program. Nick Vera (catcher) and Santangelo (first base) got their first ever collegiate starts.
- The matchup against Indiana State was the first ever between the two schools.
- Pitt improves to 11-3 against Saint Joseph's with a nine-game winning streak.
UP NEXT
- Pitt plays Ohio State Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at CoolToday Park, the spring home of the Atlanta Braves, in what will be the second ever baseball game held there.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Corcoran, Billy (1-0)
L: Liberatore,Collin (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Cusumano,Dominic 1
RBI: Schaffer,Jordan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Barrow,Mitch 1
CS: Ross,Sean 1
HBP: Ross,Sean 1 ; Kido,Joe 1
Batting:
2B: Yanni, David 1 ; Washington, Jr., Ron 1 ; Wash, Riley 1
HR: Washington, Jr., Ron 1 ; Hess, Kyle 1 ; Wash, Riley 1
RBI: Washington, Jr., Ron 3 ; Hess, Kyle 3 ; Hulett, Bryce 2 ; Wash, Riley 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Anderson, Jordan 1 ; Popa, Nico 1 ; Yanni, David 1 ; Washington, Jr., Ron 3 ; Hess, Kyle 2 ; Frontino, Samuel 1 ; Hulett, Bryce 1 ; Wash, Riley 1
SB: Hess, Kyle 1 ; Frontino, Samuel 1
CS: Anderson, Jordan 1
HBP: Popa, Nico 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
3
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
OF/LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
UTIL
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ BaseballINF
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