March 9, 2006

Box Score

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Panthers sent redshirt freshman Anthony Rossi to the hill for his first collegiate start but host Bethune-Cookman plated five runs off of Rossi and went on to a 6-0 victory at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach.

Pitt (5-7) had its two-game winning streak snapped, getting just five hits off of Bethune-Cookman (8-12) starter Francisco Rodriguez, who improved to 2-0 with the complete-game shutout. Rodriguez struck out 10 Pitt batters as the Wildcats scored three times in the second inning, and once each in the third, fourth and seventh frames.

Rossi (Peters Township, Pa./Peters Township) lasted six innings, allowing six hits and three walks. Bethune-Cookman scored five times off of Rossi, but only three of the runs were earned. He struck out four in just his second career appearance and first start.

Shortstop Jimmy Mayer (Somerset, Pa./Somerset) and outfielder David Cline (Mercersburg, Pa./Mercersburg Academy) had two hits apiece to pace the Panthers' offense, including a double each for the only Pitt extra-base hits on the evening. Freshman Brian Muldowney (West Chester, Pa./West Chester East) had the only other hit for the Panthers.

Pitt returns to Winter Park, Fla., for a Thursday afternoon contest against St. Joseph's at the Rollins College 'Baseball Week.'