ASHLAND, Ohio — The Pittsburgh wrestling team defeated Gardner-Webb but dropped its final two decisions to Central Michigan and Indiana at the 15th annual Wendy's Big Classic Duals at Ashland University on Sunday.

The 1-2 mark gives the Panthers a 3-4 overall mark in 2003-04. Pittsburgh shut out the Bulldogs, 52-0, in the first match, using four pins, two forfeit wins, a tech fall, two major decisions and a decision to account for the 52 points, the team's most since scoring 53 versus Franklin & Marshall during the 1996-97 season.

Freshmen Drew Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg), Matt Kocher (State College, Pa./State College Area) and Eric Cassidy (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) as well as sophomore Justin Nestor (Transfer, Pa./Reynolds) recorded the four pins against the Bulldogs. Headlee got his at the 1:58 mark of the first period, Kocher at 2:45, Nestor at 1:55 and Cassidy in the third period at 6:05. The Panthers were also awarded six points each for forfeit wins by Ronald Tarquinio (McDonald, Pa./West Allegheny) at 141 pounds and Travis Shirley (West Middlesex, Pa./Kennedy Christian) at heavyweight.

Sophomore 174-pounder Francis Iorfido (Johnsonburg, Pa./Johnsonburg) scored a 16-0 technical fall victory, while freshman Keith Gavin (Factoryville, Pa./Lackawanna Trail) and senior Josh Birt (Spokane, Wash./North Idaho JC/East Valley) won by major decision and junior Tyshawn Scarlett (Freeport, N.Y./Nassau CC/Freeport) won a 9-4 decision.

Central Michigan, which finished 3-0 at the Ashland Duals, and only lost two individual bouts, defeated the Panthers 31-3 in the second session for Pittsburgh. The Panthers' only victory came in the 149-pound bout when Kocher scored a 6-4 decision.

Indiana finished 2-1 on the day and narrowly edged the Panthers, 19-13, in the final dual meet for both schools. The match was tied at 13-13 after the first eight bouts but two decisions by a total of seven points in the final two weight classes secured the victory for the Hoosiers. Winning matches for the Panthers were Scarlett at 133 pounds, Kocher at 149 pounds with a major decision, Nestor at 157 pounds and Mike Croyle (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) at 184 pounds.

Pittsburgh returns home to take on Duquesne in a dual meet on Saturday, January 17 at 7 p.m. The meet will take place at Fitzgerald Field House and will be the final non-conference bout before six consecutive EWL matches to end the dual meet season.