April 16, 2008

Box Score

PITTSBURGH--The Pitt baseball team played its second game in consecutive days today when it traveled to PNC Park to battle cross-town rival Duquesne. The Panthers fell behind early, but unlike yesterday's loss to Ohio were able to rebound and picked up a 17-6 victory.

The Dukes jumped out to a four-run lead after Pitt starter Mike Wood (Endicott, N.Y./Union Endicott) and the Panther defense let up five runs in the bottom of the first. Pitt answered with two runs in the second and another in the third to cut Duquesne's lead to just one while Wood settled in and found his rhythm, holding the Duke's scoreless.

Sean Conley (Chippewa, Pa./Blackhawk) led off the fifth with a single and Pitt loaded the bases when Matt Litzinger (Pittsburgh, Pa./Serra Catholic) reached on an error and John Schultz (Reading, Pa./Wilson West Lawn) walked. Philip Konieczny (Phoenix, Az./Mt. Pointe) then stepped to the plate and smoked a double over the left fielders head that cleared the bases and gave the Panthers a lead that they would never relinquish.

Pitt gave one run back in the bottom of the fifth, but went on to tally 10 more of their own over the next four innings, including six in the ninth to set the game's final score.

Konieczny finished the day 2-4 with five RBI, while Conley registered three hits and scored four runs. David Kaye (Pittsburgh, Pa./Riverview) picked up the victory, while Grant Gillespie was saddled with the loss.

Pitt will now set its sights on Big East foe St. John's, who currently sits near the top of the conference. The Panthers' three-game squabble with the Red Storm will begin on Friday at 3 p.m.