Pitt Opens Season with Sweep Over Maine

Saturday, February 17

Port Charlotte, FL

12 PM

Pitt

3-0

Maine

0-3

Maine

Pittsburgh

Pitt Opens Season with Sweep Over Maine

2/17/2024 4:44:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Gamebook

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fl. – The Pitt baseball team began their 2024 campaign with a sweep over Maine. It is Pitt's first season-opening sweep since 2013 when they took all three games from Wichita State.

Luke Cantwell showed a combination of power and patience this afternoon, launching two home runs and drawing two walks. Dom Popa tied a career high with three hits in the series finale, he finished 3-4 with three runs scored and a walk. Tyler Bischke knocked in three runs while Jayden Melendez and Ryan Zuckerman each knocked in two.

Jack Sokol started on the mound for the Panthers and went four strong innings, allowing only three runs on five hits while striking out four. Left-hander Ethan Firoved came on in relief and dealt. The junior threw four scoreless innings of one-hit baseball and struck out six batters.

Maine's offense struck first, scoring two quick runs on an RBI single in the top of the second inning.

The Panthers immediately responded by plating three in the bottom half of the inning. Justin Fogel led off the inning with a double off the wall in dead center, he would advance to third following a misplayed groundball off the bat of Jayden Melendez in the following at-bat. With runners at the corners, Turner Grau smacked a ball up the middle and into center that scored Fogel and moved Melendez to second. In his second career game, Ryan Zuckerman lined two-run double into the left-centerfield gap to put the Panthers on top early.

The Black bears tied it right back up in the top of the third as their catcher Dean O'Neill hit a solo shot to left.

Like they had yesterday, Pitt fought back and tied it right back up in the bottom of the third. Luke Cantwell launched his first home run of the season and first as a Panther into the palm trees in right to knot the game at four.

Pitt scored three runs in each of the last three innings to put this game away. Following a Zuckerman walk and Popa single, Tyler Bischke lined a two-run double down the left field line to make it 6-3 Pitt. Luke Cantwell and C.J. Funk both walked to load the bases for Jayden Melendez who was drilled with a fastball to put the Panthers up four.

Jake Kendro led off the bottom of the seventh with a single past the third baseman and into left field. Ryan Zuckerman reached on a fielder's choice and Dom Popa singled again to put runners at the corner for Tyler Bischke who hit an RBI groundout to second. Following Cantwell and Funk walks for the second straight inning, the Panthers would score again via a bases loaded hit-by-pitch, this time by Justin Fogel. Jayden Melendez worked a bases loaded walk to extend Pitt's lead to seven runs after seven innings.

Jake Kendro led off for the third straight inning in the bottom of the eighth. Ryan Zuckerman recorded his first career multiple-hit game with his single up the middle. Dom Popa lined his third hit of the day through the right side and Pitt had runners on the corners for the third straight inning. Luke Cantwell ended the game in eight innings with his three-run blast, and second homer of the game, that put the Panthers up 10.

UP NEXT:

Pitt will travel to Corpus Christi, TX next week to compete in the Kleberg Bank College Classic where they will play Washington, Maryland and Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

Friday, February 23 vs. Washington (2 PM CDT)

Saturday, February 24 vs. Maryland (2 PM CDT)

Sunday, February 25 vs. Texas A&M Corpus Christi (3 PM CDT)

Monday, February 26 vs. Texas A&M Corpus Christi (10:30 AM CDT)