Feb. 25, 2006

Box Score

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - After scoring just two runs in the past two losses, covering 23 innings, the Pitt baseball team had an offensive outburst, downing Belmont 14-7 to even its record at 3-3 heading into the third and final game of the weekend in Nashville, Tenn.

The Panthers scored four times in the first inning and built a 12-1 lead before holding on for the seven-run victory. Things started out real well as shortstop Jimmy Mayer (Somerset, Pa./Somerset) hit his second home run of the season and of his career with a solo shot to left field. Right fielder Peter Parise (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) followed with the first of three hits - a double to left-center field, and then Jim Negrych (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Francis) blasted his second home run of the season, a two-run shot to center field. With one out, Morgan Kielty (Burlington, Ontario/Burlington Central) reached on an error and moved to third on a double by Jeff Stevens (Danville, Va./Louisburg College). In his first collegiate at-bat, Eric Chamness (West Chester, Pa./West Chester East) singled to right field to score Kielty with the fourth Panther run.

Up 4-1 heading into the second, Parise hit his first home run of the season to right field to push the lead back up to four runs. In the fourth inning, the Panthers got their fourth long ball of the day when Seth Button (Elk Lake, Pa./Elk Lake/Gloucester College) connected on a two-run shot to score Parise, who singled with one out.

The Panthers got two more runs in the top of the fifth inning to make it an 9-1 game. Stevens singled to lead off the frame, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a ground out. After Chamness walked, David Cline (Mercersburg, Pa./Mercersburg Academy) reached on a fielder's choice to score the seventh run. Cline later stole second base and scored on a double by Mayer.

Three more runs were plated in the sixth to make it a double-digit lead for Pitt. With two outs, Kielty and Stevens drew walks and Dan Williams (Berwyn, Pa./Episcopal Academy) went deep for the Panthers' fifth home run of the day and his first of the season, a three-run shot.

The last two Panther runs came in the seventh inning on an RBI single by Negrych and two errors by the Bruins defense. Sophomore Rob Brant (Mansfield, Pa./Mansfield) was solid in improving to 2-0 on the season with six innings of work, allowing four hits, two earned runs and one walk, while striking out five. Redshirt freshman Anthony Rossi (Peters Township, Pa./Peters Township) pitched in his first collegiate game, throwing 2.2 scoreless innings of relief with two hits allowed and one strikeout.

The Panthers finish their three-game trip to Nashville on Sunday with a noon game at Lipscomb.

NOTES: Eight of the Panthers' 14 hits went for extra bases (three doubles, five home runs)...Mayer has hit safely in all six games this season and has two hits in his last five games...Cline stole his team leading second and third bases in the game, while Williams stole his second base of the year.