Pitt
9-4
Akron
3-12
LaSala, Bischke Notch Three-Hit Games as Panthers 10-Run Akron in Home Opener
3/12/2024 7:49:00 PM | Baseball
PITTSBURGH – Pitt needed just eight innings to defeat Akron 13-3 this afternoon. The Panther offense scored in all but one inning as they had their second-highest run output this season while Pitt's pitching staff held the Zips to just two hits.
Six Panthers recorded two or more hits today while eight Panthers recording at least one hit. Anthony LaSala came off the bench for an injured Jake Kendro and had his first three-hit game of the season and the second of his career going 3-4 with an RBI. Tyler Bischke went 3-3 with three RBI and two walks. Dom Popa kept his hot streak going as he went 2-5 with two doubles, extending his hitting streak to 12 games.
Luke Cantwell was a big part of Pitt's offense in their home opener. Cantwell drew three walks, drove in three runs, scored four and went 1-2. On the first pitch his saw in his collegiate career, Jonah St. Antoine lined a two-run double down the first base line that ended this game in eight innings.
Freshman Aidan Coleman provided Pitt quality innings in his second career start, allowing three runs, none earned, on just one hit while striking out four over four innings. Ben Kovel came in to start the fifth inning and earned his first win of the season and first as a Panther. He threw two shutout innings where he allowed only one hit. Kyle Demi gave Pitt another solid outing out of the bullpen, allowing no runs on no hits while striking out four over just two innings.
Pitt kickstarted the scoring, batting around and scoring a flurry of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Luke Cantwell struck out swinging one what would have been third out of the inning but advances to first on a dropped third strike. C.J. Funk was hit by a pitch and Pitt had runners on first and second with two outs. Justin Fogel dropped an RBI single into shallow left and the Panthers had the first lead of the day. Tyler Bischke came up with runners at the corners and lined an RBI single up the middle and into center. On the very next pitch, Turner Grau drilled a two-run double into the gap and Pitt led 4-0 after one.
However, Akron came out in the next inning and put up three on a bases loaded run-clearing double to cut the lead to one.
After Dom Popa reached on an error by the third baseman, Luke Cantwell crushed a two-run home run over the trees in right-centerfield to put Pitt up 6-3 after two innings.
Turner Grau and Jake Kendro collided in the outfield in the top of the third inning, causing Kendro to miss the remainder of the game. Anthony LaSala would replace him at short and would lead off the next inning with a line drive single to right-center. Luke Cantwell got his third RBI of the day in the bottom of the third as he flying out to left-center and brought home LaSala.
Justin Fogel lined his second hit of the day down the left field line for a lead off single. After a Bischke walk, Anthony LaSala came to the dish and smoked an RBI single to left that put Pitt up 8-3 after four.
Pitt added more insurance in the fifth. Tyler Bischke doubled to left-center and drove in Luke Cantwell for his second RBI of the day.
Anthony LaSala lined his third single of the game to left field to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning. Dom Popa would double into the right-centerfield gap and Pitt would have two runners in scoring position with nobody out. After Jayden Melendez grounded out to third, Pitt loaded the bases on a Luke Cantwell walk. Justin Fogel was hit by a pitch and Tyler Bischke drew a walk as Pitt led 11-3 after six innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, after a Luke Cantwell walk and C.J. Funk single, freshman Jonah St. Antoine made his collegiate debut as he pinch-hit for the DH Justin Fogel. St. Antoine doubled down the first base line on the first pitch he saw and drove in two runs to end the game in eight innings.
Pitt returns to play tomorrow afternoon at 3 PM when they take on Youngstown State at Charles L. Cost Field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kovel, Ben (1-0)
L: J. Kelley (1-1)
Batting:
2B: E. Bottone 1 ; M. Bowman 1
RBI: E. Bottone 3
Base Running:
RUNS: J. Strom 1 ; A. Horvath 1 ; F. Pyatt 1
SB: E. Bottone 1
HBP: F. Pyatt 1
Batting:
2B: Popa, Dom 2 ; St. Antoine, Jonah 1 ; Bischke, Tyler 1 ; Grau, Turner 1
HR: Cantwell, Luke 1
RBI: Cantwell, Luke 3 ; Fogel, Justin 2 ; St. Antoine, Jonah 2 ; Bischke, Tyler 3 ; Grau, Turner 2 ; LaSala, Anthony 1
SF: Cantwell, Luke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Popa, Dom 2 ; Cantwell, Luke 4 ; Funk, C.J. 2 ; Fogel, Justin 2 ; Bischke, Tyler 1 ; LaSala, Anthony 2
HBP: Funk, C.J. 1 ; Fogel, Justin 1
