Pitt
7-1
Oklahoma
5-4
Panthers Down Sooners in Offensive Explosion
3/1/2024 10:36:00 PM | Baseball
LAS VEGAS, Nv. – The Pitt baseball team defeated Oklahoma 19-9 on Friday afternoon in game one of the Las Vegas College Baseball Classic. The Panther offense combined for season-highs in runs (19), hits (16) and extra-base hits (7) as they only needed seven innings to win today's contest.
C.J. Funk and Turner Grau each had three-hit games, Grau came off the bench and went 3-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Funk went 3-5 with 2 2B, 2 RBI and three runs scored. Shortstop Jake Kendro went 2-4 with four RBI including a three-run home run to center field, he has now had three consecutive multiple-hit games. Dom Popa (2-5, RBI) and Tyler Bischke (2-3, 2 RBI) each logged multi-hit games as well.
Ethan Firoved came on in relief to start the fourth inning and earned his second win of the year. In Firoved's first two appearances this season he has thrown four complete innings, that was no different today. He was the consistent arm the Panthers needed going four strong innings and allowed only three runs on six hits.
Pitt's 19 runs were their most against a Power Conference team since they beat then No. 7 Georgia Tech on the road, 18-12, in March of 2021. It was also their second most runs scored against a Big-12 opponent in program history, the most coming in a 24 run clinic against West Virginia in 2010.
Oklahoma got three runs on three hits in the top of the first to start the ballgame, but the Panthers quickly answered with a three-spot of their own to tie things up after one.
After Dom Popa struck out, Jayden Melendez and Luke Cantwell each drew walks to put runners at first and second for C.J. Funk in the bottom of the first. Funk skied an RBI double into the right-center gap, that was lost in the sun by the centerfielder, and short hopped the wall. Melendez scored from second as Cantwell was halted at third, the Panthers had two runners in scoring position with one out. On the very next pitch Justin Fogel bounced a ball up the middle that was fielded but then thrown away by the shortstop, scoring not only Cantwell but Funk all the way from second as the Panthers knotted the game at three.
The Sooners and Panthers traded three-spots in the first inning and a half as Oklahoma scored three more runs in the top of the second and led 6-3.
After two halves of scoreless innings from both clubs, the Panthers exploded for six runs in bottom of the third as C.J. Funk lined a leadoff double into the right-center gap to start the inning. Turner Grau would come off the bench to pinch-hit for Justin Fogel and lace an RBI single up the middle, scoring Funk from second. After a Bischke walk, Josh Spiegel hit an RBI double off the top of the wall in right-center that would bring the Panthers within one. With runners at second and third, Jake Kendro hit a three-run home run to dead center that gave Pitt their first lead of the game.
Ethan Firoved relieved Ryan Andrade in the top of the fourth inning, Oklahoma got one run back and Pitt led 9-7 after four full.
The Panthers outdid their six-run third inning by plating eight runs in the bottom of the fifth. Ryan Zuckerman led off the inning with an opposite field home run on the first pitch he saw for his team-leading fourth long ball of the year. After a Jake Kendro walk, Dom Popa lined a double in the left-center field gap that scored Kendro all the way from first. Jayden Melendez walked and Luke Cantwell was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with nobody out for C.J. Funk. Funk lined an RBI single through the left side that scored Popa as Pitt now led 12-7. On the very next pitch Turner Grau dropped an RBI single into right field that moved everyone up a base, the bases were still juiced with nobody out. Tyler Bischke drew another walk and brought home another run as Pitt now led 14-7. Josh Spiegel bounced a ball up the middle that the shortstop could not make a play on, scoring another run and moving everyone up a base once again. The bases were still loaded and there was still no one out. After a Zuckerman strikeout, Jake Kendro drove in his fourth run of the game on a single to left field. Dom Popa drew Pitt's second RBI walk of the afternoon and the Panthers led 17-7 after five.
Oklahoma brought in two runs in the top of the sixth, but Pitt would score one run in each of the last two innings and win this game in only seven innings.
Pitt plays Ohio State tomorrow afternoon at Las Vegas Ballpark, first pitch is slated for 3 PM EST/12 PM PST. Left-hander Ryan Reed will make his third start of the year.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Firoved, Ethan (2-0)
L: Davis, B. (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Spikerman, J 1 ; Carmichael,E 3
3B: Madron, B. 1
RBI: Madron, B. 1 ; Carmichael,E 2 ; Snyder, M. 3 ; Mackenzie, A 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Spikerman, J 2 ; Madron, B. 4 ; Carmichael,E 3
SB: Spikerman, J 1 ; Snyder, M. 1 ; Nicklaus, J. 1
HBP: Madron, B. 1 ; Carmichael,E 1
Batting:
2B: Popa, Dom 1 ; Melendez, Jayden 1 ; Funk, C.J. 2 ; Spiegel, Josh 1
HR: Zuckerman, Ryan 1 ; Kendro, Jake 1
RBI: Popa, Dom 1 ; Cantwell, Luke 1 ; Funk, C.J. 2 ; Fogel, Justin 1 ; Grau, Turner 3 ; Bischke, Tyler 2 ; Spiegel, Josh 2 ; Zuckerman, Ryan 1 ; Kendro, Jake 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Popa, Dom 1 ; Melendez, Jayden 3 ; Cantwell, Luke 3 ; Funk, C.J. 3 ; Grau, Turner 2 ; Bischke, Tyler 2 ; Spiegel, Josh 1 ; Zuckerman, Ryan 1 ; Kendro, Jake 3
CS: Popa, Dom 1
HBP: Cantwell, Luke 1
