Pitt To Play Host To Penn State at PNC Park
5/15/2023 4:28:00 PM | Baseball
The Panthers play host to in-state rival Penn State at PNC Park on Tuesday May 16 at 6 p.m. This is Pitt's second game at PNC Park this season and fifth game at PNC Park in the last three years. Pitt has lost six of their last eight games while Penn State has lost their last seven in a row. The Panthers fell to Penn State earlier this season at State College 16-8 and have not beat the Nittany Lions since April 10, 2019.
Kyle Hess hit .412, with two home runs (one grand slam), two triples, a double, 10 RBI and a slugging percentage of 1.059 in four combined games against No. 11 Miami and No. 12 West Virginia this past week. That included a career day on his senior day against No. 11 Miami. He hit a grand slam, a two-run triple, and robbed a possible go-ahead three-run home run as he drove in six of Pitt's seven runs that afternoon en route to a victory.
Pitt's seniors showed out on their senior day in game two against No. 11 Miami this past weekend, Hess finished the day 2-4 with 6 RBI (tying a career high) and a walk, Sky Duff worked three walks and brought home Caleb Sturtevant on a sac fly to left. Noah Martinez worked three walks as well, Johnny Long III shot an opposite field single in right field in the bottom of the second inning, and Nash Bryan came on in the bottom of the ninth and earned his seventh save of the year.
Logan Evans provided a quality start for the Panthers, going at least six innings for the fifth time this season. He gave up four runs on six hits, allowed one walk, and struck out six batters. Dylan Simmons was the first Panther out of the bullpen again and striking out four in two scoreless innings in relief. Nash Bryan closed it out in the ninth for the seventh time this season, striking out two of the five batters he faced.
PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE
Pitt has worked 299 walks this season, they rank 16th in the country in base on balls. Jack Anderson is ninth in the country and first in the ACC with his 50 walks. Noah Martinez is fourth in all of the ACC and 17th in the country, walking 48 times. While CJ Funk is third on the team and fifth in the ACC with 46 free passes. Pitt's all-time walks leader Sky Duff is tenth in the ACC, walking 42 times this season.
PINCH-HITTING HECKERT
Senior transfer Brett Heckert came up clutch off the bench in pinch-hit appearances against No. 11 Miami, collecting not one but two RBI hits. He hit a pinch-hit two-run triple in the bottom of the eighth inning in game one against Miami, almost hitting a game-tying three-run home run as the ball hit the very top of the wall in left-center field. In the series finale he tied the game with a pinch-hit RBI single to center in the bottom of the sixth inning. He leads the team with his 20 pinch-hit plate appearances.
HOMEGROWN TALENT
A number of contributing Panthers are representing their hometown of Pittsburgh -- senior catcher/infielder Jack Anderson, graduate relief pitcher Nash Bryan, junior outfielder Dom Popa and freshman infielder Anthony LaSala.
A native of Mars, PA Anderson has his name in the top three of several statistical categories for the Panthers this season. He leads the team in batting average (.323), on base percentage (.478), and walks (47), is second on the team in hits (42), third in RBI (32) , and ranks sixth in home runs (5). Anderson had a 37 game on base streak prior to the series finale against Wake Forest.
A Butler, PA native and a transfer from Seton Hill University, Bryan has pitched himself into a predominent role within the bullpen and has emerged as the Panthers closer this year. He has a team low ERA of 3.55 and leads the team in both saves (7) and appearances (26).
A graduate of Seton-LaSalle High School, Popa played in 47 games with 17 starts as a sophomore in 2022. This year he has played in 33 games and has started in 21 of them. He has 11 hits this season, three of which have been doubles, he's knocked in eight runs, and has stolen two bags.
A graduate of Hopewell High School where he won a WPIAL championship, LaSala has played in 37 games, making 34 starts. He has 16 hits and has scored 12 runs, while also smacking five doubles. He has been very solid defensively for Pitt, only comitting four errors in his 37 games, while helping turn 17 double plays on the season. His Father, Chris, has been a member of the Pitt Football staff for 27 years.
The game will be streamed on ACC Network Extra, starting pitchers ar TBD.
