Pitt
13-17, 3-13
Duke
25-9, 10-6
Panthers Drop Both Games of Doubleheader vs. No. 7 Duke
4/13/2024 7:14:00 PM | Baseball
PITTSBURGH – The Panthers fell in both games of Saturday's doubleheader against No. 7 Duke.
Dom Popa and Justin Fogel each recorded hits in both games this afternoon. Popa went 2-5 with an RBI, a run scored, a walk and a hit by pitch while Fogel extended his hitting streak to nine games with his two hits this afternoon. Jayden Melendez hit his team-leading 10th home run of the season on a two-run shot in the bottom of the first inning of game two. Luke Cantwell drove in three runs this afternoon on a two-run double in game one and a bases-loaded walk in game two.
Pitt led for eight innings in game two but surrendered their lead late in the ballgame. Jack Sokol was excellent for the Panthers in Saturday's second game, allowing just two runs on two hits while striking out seven batters over seven innings.
Game 1 Recap
Pitt put two runners on the in the bottom of the first. Jayden Melendez drew a walk and Justin Fogel extended his hitting streak to eight games on a single to right. Both runners would be stranded as the game was scoreless after one.
Duke scored first, putting up three runs on four hits in the top of the second inning.
Josh Spiegel put the Panthers on the board with an opposite field solo shot in the bottom of the second inning. Pitt trailed 3-1 after two.
The Blue Devils responded by scoring seven runs in the top of the third inning on five hits and two errors, leading 10-1 after three innings.
Pitt wouldn't go down without a fight, plating three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Justin Fogel reached on an error by the third baseman to lead off the inning while Funk walked to put runners at first and second With two outs, Dom Popa lined an RBI single the other way that scored Fogel from second. Zuckerman walked and loaded the bases for Cantwell who drove a two-run double down the left field line that scored Funk and Popa. The Panthers trailed 10-4 after four.
Duke matched Pitt's three-spot in the top of the fifth and would score one in the top of the seventh to go up 14-4 and end the game in seven innings.
Game 2 Recap
The Panthers started game two of its Saturday doubleheader with a bang. With runners at first and second and no one out, Justin Fogel threw a Duke runner out at the plate to a save a run in the top of the first inning. With the Blue Devils still threatening, the Panthers turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
In the bottom half of the inning, after Tyler Bischke was hit with a pitch, Jayden Melendez launched his 10thhome run of the season to left and Pitt led 2-0 after one.
The Panthers loaded the bases in the bottom of the second inning and added another run. After walks from Kendro and Bischke, and a hit by pitch by Popa, Luke Cantwell drew a bases loaded walk and extended the Pitt led to three after two.
Duke got two of those runs back in the top of the sixth on a two-run home run to right. The Panthers led 3-2 after six innings.
The Blue Devils would tie it up in the top of the eighth on a solo shot that kept carrying to right field and would then take the lead following fundamental baseball in the top of the ninth.
The Panthers would lose game two 4-3 and drop both games of the doubleheader.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nard, Gabriel (2-2)
L: Andrade, Ryan (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Stone, Alex 2 ; Rodgers, Harrison 1
3B: Morris, Zac 1
HR: Stone, Alex 1 ; Bravo, Logan 1
RBI: Morris, Zac 2 ; Stone, Alex 4 ; Bravo, Logan 1 ; Krewson, Chase 1 ; Clark, Wallace 1 ; Albright, Tyler 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Morris, Zac 1 ; Gracia, AJ 2 ; Stone, Alex 1 ; Bravo, Logan 1 ; Krewson, Chase 1 ; Obee, Devin 2 ; Clark, Wallace 2 ; Albright, Tyler 2 ; Rodgers, Harrison 2
SB: Krewson, Chase 1
Batting:
2B: Cantwell, Luke 1
HR: Spiegel, Josh 1
RBI: Cantwell, Luke 2 ; Spiegel, Josh 1 ; Popa, Dom 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fogel, Justin 1 ; Funk, C.J. 1 ; Spiegel, Josh 1 ; Popa, Dom 1
SB: Zuckerman, Ryan 1
