Riley Wash and Bryce Hulett hit back-to-back doubles in the 14th inning, starting a six-run rally and sending Pitt to a 14-8 win over St. Joseph’s on Friday night in Port Charlotte, Florida.
With the game tied at eight and one out in the top of the 14th, Wash, doubled to right field and Hulett doubled to center, scoring Wash to give the Panthers a 9-8 lead.
Wash entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning after catching the first game of Pitt’s opening day doubleheader, replacing freshman Nick Vera. He then caught another seven innings before the Panthers took home their second victory to start the 2020 season.
Pitt followed Wash’s double with a line out and a walk, but then David Yanni doubled, scoring two. Kyle Hess hit an RBI single and Sky Duff drew a bases-loaded walk, bringing Wash up for a second time in the 14th. He walked, scoring another run and giving the Panthers their final margin of victory.
Lefty Grant Powell (1-0) allowed just one hit over the final four innings to earn his first win in a Pitt uniform. Powell had also pitched one inning in Pitt’s 11-1 win over Indiana State earlier in the day.
Designated hitter Ron Washington Jr. was the reason the game made it to extra innings. His sol home run in the top of the ninth inning tied the game at eight. It was Washington’s second home run of the day, matching his total from the entire 2019 season in one evening.
Pitt had worked an early 6-3 lead, but starting pitcher Chris Cappas lasted just four innings and the Pitt bullpen couldn’t make that lead stick. Junior junior college transfer Dylan Lester gave up two runs in the sixth in his second inning of work.
Holy Cross transfer C.J. McKennitt was victimized by some shoddy defending and allowed three unearned runs in the eighth to allow the Hawks to take the lead. Closer Chase Smith cleaned up for McKennitt in the eighth and went 2 1/3 scoreless before handing the ball to Powell.
The Panthers will stay in Port Charlotte for two more games this weekend. They’ll face Ohio State on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Iowa on Sunday at 11 a.m. Mitch Meyers will start Saturday and Matt Gilbertson will start Sunday.
