Pitt
20-25
Youngstown State
11-36
Panthers Score Season-High 23 Runs in Win at Youngstown State
5/7/2024 5:25:00 PM | Baseball
NILES, Oh. – The Panthers scored their most runs in a single game since 2019 in their 23-1 victory at Youngstown State on Tuesday afternoon.
Jake Kendro led all Panthers with three hits today, going 3-3 with a double and three RBI. Anthony LaSala pinch-hit for Kendro in the top of the sixth inning and hit the first grand slam of his career. C.J. Funk hit a three-run shot in the top of the first inning, he would draw a walk and score two runs on the day. Dom Popa drove in a career-high three runs and went 2-4 with a walk. Jayden Melendez showed patience at the plate, drawing a career-high four walks on the afternoon and is the second Panther this year to walk four times in a single game. Luke Cantwell did so in back-to-back games against Georgia Tech last month. Tyler Bischke and Justin Fogel each collected two hits and drove in a run. In his first career start, freshman catcher Sebastian Pisacreta drove in his first career RBI on his first career hit in the top of the seventh inning.
Aidan Coleman earned his third win of the season, allowing just one run on four hits over his four innings. Ben Kovel, Kyle Demi and Kayden Faulcon each worked scoreless frames in their relief appearances this afternoon. All three relievers combined struck out six batters, Demi struck out the side when he entered in the sixth inning.
The Panthers' bats came out hot with a six-run top of the first inning. Luke Cantwell and Jayden Melendez each reached on hit by pitches to put runners at first and second with one out. C.J. Funk blasted a three-run home run to center field to put the Panthers up 3-0 in just the fourth at-bat of the ballgame. Justin Fogel reached second on a dropped error by the right fielder and would be driven in on an RBI single to right center by Tyler Bischke. Bischke stole second and put himself in scoring position. Making his first career start behind the dish, Sebastian Pisacreta drew a full count walk and Pitt had runners at first and second again. Jake Kendro lined a single to left, drove in Bischke and extended the Pitt led to five. Pitt batted around in the first as Dom Popa came up for the second time in the inning and bounced an RBI single through the left side. The Panthers led 6-0 after the first inning.
Youngstown State got one back in the bottom of the second as the Panthers now led by five.
Pitt added seven more runs in the top half of the third inning and led the Penguins 13-1. Ryan Zuckerman led off the inning with a double to left center, Tyler Bischke reached on a hit by pitch and Sebastian Pisacreta worked a walk to load the bases with nobody out. Zuckerman would score after Jake Kendro worked a bases loaded walk. Dom Popa would single up the middle in the next at bat and drive in two more runs. Zuckerman and Funk each drew bases loaded walks and brought in a run while Justin Fogel singled through the ride side and drove in another. Funk would dash home on a wild pitch and Pitt led 13-1 after three.
Justin Fogel led off the top of the fifth with another single to right. Tyler Bischke followed that up with a double off the wall in left center and Pitt had runners in scoring position with one out. Jake Kendro beat out an infield single to short and the Panthers added another, leading 14-1 after five.
The Panthers had their third six-plus-run inning of the game in the top of the sixth, scoring six more runs and putting up a season-high 20 runs on the board. Pitt strung together five walks in the first six at-bats of the inning and put two more runs on the board. With the bases still loaded, Anthony LaSala launched his first home run of the season, a grand slam into the Panther bullpen in left as Pitt led 20-1 after six.
Freshmen Keeton Burroughs and Sebastian Pisacreta each drove in a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning. After Turner Grau walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch, Burroughs lined a single up the middle and drove in his second career RBI. Pisacreta lined his first career hit passed the third baseman and drove in Burroughs from second, collecting his first career RBI as well. Luke Cantwell would drive in Pisacreta from third on a sacrifice fly and the Panthers would plate their 23rd and final run of the day.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Coleman, Aidan (3-2)
L: KUBILUS, Nolan (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Zuckerman, Ryan 1 ; Bischke, Tyler 1 ; Kendro, Jake 1
HR: Funk, C.J. 1 ; LaSala, Anthony 1
RBI: Popa, Dom 3 ; Cantwell, Luke 1 ; Funk, C.J. 4 ; Fogel, Justin 1 ; Zuckerman, Ryan 2 ; Bischke, Tyler 1 ; Burroughs, Keeton 1 ; Pisacreta, Sebastian 2 ; Kendro, Jake 3 ; LaSala, Anthony 4
SF: Cantwell, Luke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Popa, Dom 1 ; Cantwell, Luke 1 ; Melendez, Jayden 3 ; Funk, C.J. 2 ; St. Antoine, Jonah 1 ; Fogel, Justin 2 ; Grau, Turner 2 ; Zuckerman, Ryan 2 ; Bischke, Tyler 2 ; Burroughs, Keeton 1 ; Pisacreta, Sebastian 4 ; Kendro, Jake 1 ; LaSala, Anthony 1
SB: Bischke, Tyler 1
HBP: Cantwell, Luke 1 ; Melendez, Jayden 1 ; Bischke, Tyler 1
Batting:
HR: RUFFNER, Teddy 1
RBI: RUFFNER, Teddy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: RUFFNER, Teddy 1
CS: STANLEY, Brett 1
HBP: RUFFNER, Teddy 1
