Pitt
21-25
Wright State
27-20
Funk's Three-Homer Game Helps Panthers Score 20-Plus Runs for Second-Straight Day
5/8/2024 9:11:00 PM | Baseball
PITTSBURGH – The Panthers scored 20-plus runs for the second consecutive day in their 22-4 victory over Wright State on Wednesday afternoon. Pitt's 45 combined runs over the last two games are the second-most runs in a two-game span in program history and the most since 1953.
Senior outfielder C.J. Funk had a career day at the plate, hitting three home runs that all came in the first two innings. Prior to today, Funk had never hit more than one home run in a game throughout his four-year career. He decided to break his personal single-game mark in the very first inning against Wright State by hitting a three-run shot and a grand slam in his first two at-bats of the day. Funk followed that up with yet another home run in the bottom of the second inning, giving him three home runs and nine RBI in the first two innings. Funk's nine RBI this afternoon were the most in a game by a Panther since 2013 when Casey Roche drove in 10 runs at Youngstown State.
C.J. Funk, Luke Cantwell, Justin Fogel, Ryan Zuckerman and Sebastian Pisacreta all collected three hits today for the Panthers. In just his second career start, Pisacreta went 3-4 with four RBI and his first career home run. Dom Popa hit his first home run of the season and the first grand slam of his career in the bottom of the second inning, it was Pitt's second grand slam of the game. Jayden Melendez went 2-4 with an RBI single and five runs scored, the most runs in a single game by a Pitt player in the history of Charles L. Cost Field.
Every starter for the Panthers notched a hit today as the Panthers totaled 21 hits on the day, tying the record for most hits by a team in a game at Charles L. Cost Field.
After Wright State scored three runs in the top of the first inning, Pitt responded with 11 in the bottom half of the inning.
The inning was highlighted by Funk's three-run shot and grand slam in the bottom of the first. Prior to Funk's three-run homer, Jayden Melendez laced a single off the wall in left and drove in Pitt's first run of the day. Following Funks first home run, Sebastian Pisacreta lined two-run double down the left field line that scored Fogel and Zuckerman. With Pisacreta and Popa now on, Luke Cantwell singled up the middle and drove in Pisacreta as Pitt now led 7-3. C.J. Funk came up with the bases loaded and launched an opposite field grand slam for his second home run of the inning as the Panthers led 11-3 after one.
Wright State got one run back, but the Panthers would bat around for the second straight inning and plate eight runs in the bottom of the second. After the first three batters reach, Dom Popa entered the box with the bases loaded and hit his first career grand slam over the right field wall. With Melendez now on first, Funk came to the plate for the third time today and would hit his third home run of the day in just the second inning. Funk's three home runs this afternoon were the most in a single game at Charles L. Cost Field by a Pitt player. Freshmen Ryan Zuckerman and Sebastian Pisacreta each had RBI knocks to left field and Pitt would lead 19-4 after two innings.
Justin Fogel collected his third hit of the day on an RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the fourth to give Pitt their second consecutive game with at least 20 runs. In the bottom of the fourth, Sebastian Pisacreta sent the first home run of this career well over the fence in left and added to the Panther lead. Pisacreat has started the last two games behind the dish and has driven in multiple runs I each, driving in two yesterday and four today. The Panthers added one more in the fourth in a fielder's choice and scored their 22nd run of the day, notching back-to-back 20-run games for the first time in program history.
The Panthers would go on to win 22-4.
Charles L. Cost Field Records Today
Team Hits: 21, tied previous mark (21, vs. Niagara [3/20/11])
Team Home Runs: 5, tied previous mark (5, vs. St. Bonaventure [4/17/24])
Individual Home Runs in a Game: 3, C.J. Funk
Team Total Bases (by Pitt): 41
Individual Total Bases (by a Pitt Player): 12, C.J. Funk
Runs Scored in a Game (by a Pitt Player): 5, Jayden Melendez
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Porter, Matt (1-0)
L: Ty Roder (1-3)
Batting:
2B: Julian Greenwell 2 ; Andrew Patrick 1
HR: Sammy Sass 1
RBI: Sammy Sass 3 ; Andrew Patrick 1
SF: Sammy Sass 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Julian Greenwell 1 ; Sammy Sass 1 ; Boston Smith 1 ; Luke Arnold 1
SB: Boston Smith 1
Batting:
2B: Cantwell, Luke 1 ; Melendez, Jayden 1 ; Fogel, Justin 1 ; Pisacreta, Sebastian 1 ; Kendro, Jake 1
HR: Popa, Dom 1 ; Funk, C.J. 3 ; Pisacreta, Sebastian 1
RBI: Popa, Dom 4 ; Cantwell, Luke 1 ; Melendez, Jayden 1 ; Funk, C.J. 9 ; Fogel, Justin 1 ; Zuckerman, Ryan 2 ; Pisacreta, Sebastian 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Popa, Dom 3 ; Cantwell, Luke 2 ; Melendez, Jayden 5 ; Funk, C.J. 3 ; Fogel, Justin 2 ; Zuckerman, Ryan 3 ; Bischke, Tyler 1 ; Pisacreta, Sebastian 3
HBP: St. Antoine, Jonah 1
