Pittsburgh Baseball Ousted From Big East Tournament With 5-2 Setback To Connecticut
5/19/2002
Brant Colamarino hits 19th home run of the season in the loss.
PITTSBURGH-After fighting back to capture both ends of the Saturday doubleheader with Connecticut, the University of Pittsburgh baseball team could not pull off another thrilling comeback as it fell to the Huskies, 5-2, on Sunday, eliminating the Panthers from the Big East tourney. Pittsburgh finished the season 36-16-1 overall and 14-11 in the conference, marking the most Big East wins in school history.
Much like the twinbill on Saturday, the Panthers found themselves with an early deficit. Connecticut scored twice in the second inning and one more time in the third inning to take a 3-0 advantage. However, Rolando Bello (Miami, Fla./Nova Southeastern) cracked an RBI-single in the fourth inning to pull Pittsburgh to within two runs, 3-1.
The Huskies were able to plate another run on a double steal in the sixth inning, but the Panthers responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning as Brant Colamarino (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) blasted a solo shot over the right field fence. The home run was his 19th of the season, tying the mark set by Joe Lydic in 2000.
After Connecticut posted its fifth run of the game in the eighth, Pittsburgh put on their rally caps in the bottom of the ninth inning. With two outs, Brad Rea (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny), playing in his final game as a Panther, and Bello roped back-to-back singles to bring the tying run to the plate. The Panthers' hopes were quickly put to rest, though, as Stuart Rykaceski (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) flew out to center field to end Pittsburgh's season.
Bryan Spamer (Harrisburg, Pa./Redlands) and Bello led the Panthers with two hits apiece.
Eric Ackerman (Denver, Pa./Cocalico) suffered the lost on the mound, working 4.2 innings and allowing 11 hits and three runs.
Patrick Sperone pitched a complete game for Connecticut, striking out eight batters and scattering seven hits.
