April 20, 2008

Box Score

PITTSBURGH - The Pitt baseball team (12-23, 4-11 Big East) was unable to capitalize on a few opportunities down the stretch as they fell in a hard-fought 11-8 loss to St. John's Sunday afternoon at Trees Field.

Pitt junior Chris Warner (West Seneca, N.Y./South Carolina) hit 2 for 3, including a homerun and a double, and added three runs, two RBI and had two walks on the afternoon. Lead off hitter Danny Lopez (Queens, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) was 3 for 6 on the day with a run scored and an RBI.

St. John's got on the board early with a two-run homer by Gil Zayas in the first. The Panthers, however, responded in the bottom of the inning. Morgan Kielty (Burlington, Ont./Burlington Central) grounded out to second base, but picked up an RBI, driving in John Schultz (West Lawn, Pa./Wilson West Lawn), who scored from second.

The Red Storm drove in a run in the second to take the two-run lead, but Warner hit his fifth homerun of the season with a leadoff solo shot, bringing the Panthers to within one at 3-2.

The fourth inning saw six runs come home between the two teams. St. John's appeared to pull away as four runs crossed the plate, but Pitt countered with two of its own. Warner opened up scoring for the Panthers, scoring on a throwing error by the pitcher. Schultz then grounded out to second late in the inning, but brought home Matt Litzinger (Pittsburgh, Pa./Serra Catholic), who scored from third.

In the bottom of the fifth, Warner narrowly missed his second homerun of the game as the ball landed just along the left field wall, sending home Chris Tonte (Pittston, Pa./Lackawanna CC) and bringing the score to 7-5 in favor of the Red Storm. Pitt continued its rally, pulling to within one at 7-6 on a Jordan Herr (Lancaster, Pa./Delaware) double, which brought home Warner for the score.

St. John's added to its lead in the sixth with a two-run double from Paul Karmas to extend the Red Storm lead to 9-6. Pitt threatened in the bottom of the seventh with two on and the tying run at the plate. However, a ground out to first ended the inning.

The Red Storm added two more runs in the top of the eighth for an 11-6 lead. Lopez hit is fourth homerun of the year in a leadoff solo shot to left field. Sean Conley (Chippewa, Pa./Mansfield) followed up Lopez's with one of his own for his 10th of the year, bringing the score to 11-8, St. John's at the end of eight.

Nick Mullins (Brick, N.J./Brookdale CC) doubled down the right field line in the ninth to place Pitt's first batter on base in the inning. Herr reached base on four balls and Lopez reached on a fielder's choice to place the Panthers in position to tie up the game with runners on the corners. A ground out to second ended the game with St. John's closer Colin Lynch earning the save.

Rob Brant (Mansfield, Pa./Mansfield) picked up the loss, finishing the game giving up seven runs on five hits in 4.0 innings.

The Panthers will have no midweek games and will resume play Friday, April 25 with a three-game series against Georgetown. Friday's game at Trees Field will be at 6 p.m. with Saturday's double-header set to begin at 1 p.m.