PITTSBURGH — West Virginia starter Nick Snyder pitched seven dominant innings and the No. 20 Mountaineers rolled to a 9-4 victory in the Backyard Brawl at PNC Park on Tuesday.
Snyder (8-1) struck out 11 over seven innings of one-run ball and allowed just three hits, while lowering his ERA to 1.95 on the season.
After falling into an early hole, the WVU bats broke out for three runs in the third inning with three doubles and a single off Pitt starter Chris Cappas (3-4).
Leadoff man Tyler Doanes got the scoring started with an RBI double. He finished 3 for 5 with two doubles and three RBIs.
In the fifth, a two-out error by Pitt second baseman Gregory Ryan, Jr. extended the inning and allowed two runs to score off reliever Chris Gomez.
West Virginia right fielder Darius Hill hit his second RBI double of the game in the sixth and Doanes’ two-run double was part of a three-run seventh inning. Those runs all came off freshman reliever Brady Devereux.
Pitt right fielder Nico Popa hit a solo home run down the left line in the second inning. The Seton La Salle grad now has seven homers on the season, second on the team. That was only damage Pitt could muster against Snyder.
Catcher Cole MacLaren added a three-run homer in the eighth inning, his third of the season and second in as many games.
Cappas (3-4) worked four innings, allowing three runs on five hits.
The Panthers will close their season with a three-game series at No. 6 Georgia Tech starting on Friday. Pitt will need a three-game sweep and help in order to qualify for the ACC Tournament.
West Virginia finishes its regular season with a home series against George Washington this weekend before the Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City from May 22-26.
