Panthers Bounce Back, Defeat Islanders 10-2

Sunday, February 25

Corpus Christi, TX

3 PM CDT

Pitt

5-1

Texas A&M - Corpus Christi

3-6

Pittsburgh

A&M-Corpus Christi

Panthers Bounce Back, Defeat Islanders 10-2

2/25/2024 8:27:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Gamebook

CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx. - The Pitt baseball team bounced back on Sunday afternoon and defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 10-2 in the final game of the Kleberg Bank College Classic. The Panthers' 5-1 start this year is their best start to a season since 2021 when Pitt began the year 6-1.

Luke Cantwell led the explosive Panther offense today, notching his second consecutive three-hit game and driving in three runs. Jayden Melendez went 2-5 and launched his first home run of the season. Dom Popa continued his success at the plate, going 2-5 with two doubles and an RBI. Jake Kendro reached on all five of his plate appearances today, as he went 2-2 with two runs scored and three walks.

Right-hander Jack Sokol earned his first win of the season as he allowed only one earned run over five strong innings. Ethan Firoved relieved Sokol, and just like his appearance last week, was flawless out of the bullpen. Firoved threw four scoreless innings and earned the first save of his career.

The Panthers' offense got off to a hot start, plating two runs in the top of the first inning. Dom Popa, hitting leadoff for the first time this year, laced a double into the left centerfield gap on the third pitch of the game. Luke Cantwell came up in the next at-bat and lined a ball up the middle and off the shortstop's glove to score the first run of the game. C.J. Funk reached on a fielder's choice and then advanced to second on a ground out and with two outs, Justin Fogel roped an RBI double into the gap to put the Panthers up two.

Pitt kept their foot on the throttle as they added three more runs in the top of the second. They quickly loaded the bases on singles by Turner Grau and Jake Kendro and a walk by Dom Popa. In his second at-bat of the day, Luke Cantwell lined a ball through the first baseman's legs and tacked on two more for the Panthers. C.J. Funk drove a ball to deep center and brought home Dom Popa to put Pitt up 5-0 early.

The Islanders scored one run in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings, and cut the lead to three. The Panthers led 5-3 after five full innings.

The Panthers threatened multiple times in the middle innings but were never able to convert. Pitt then strung a number of hits together and blew the game open with a five-spot in the top of the eighth inning.

Pitt had runners on first and second with one out after a Turner Grau walk and a Jake Kendro single. Dom Popa fouled off a number of two-strike pitches and then lined an RBI double down the left field line to put the Panthers up 6-2. After advancing to third on Popa's double, Grau scampered home on a pitch in the dirt and added another run for Pitt. Luke Cantwell lined an RBI single, and his third hit of the game, through the right side extending Pitt's lead to six. With Cantwell on base, Jayden Melendez, on a 3-0 pitch, sent his first home run of the season well over the wall in left to put this game away for good.

Ethan Firoved continued to be dominant after relieving Jack Sokol in the bottom of the sixth and completed his four-inning save. He allowed no runs on four hits and struck out six batters while earning the first save of the year. Firoved has now thrown eight scoreless innings in relief over his two appearances this season.

The Panthers have a quick turnaround as they will play Texas A&M-Corpus Christi tomorrow morning at 11:30 AM EST/10:30 AM CST at Chapman Field. Pitt's starting pitcher is still TBD.