Despite playing in sunny Florida, Pitt’s offense went cold on Saturday, as the Panthers recorded just two hits in a 4-1 loss to Ohio State.
Ron Washington, Jr singled through the left side to score Jordan Anderson in the top of the first, but it was all Buckeyes after that. The RBI was Washington’s team-leading fifth through three games.
Ohio State got the run right back in the bottom half of the open frame against Panthers starter Mitch Myers (0-1) with a single, a double and a ground out. Myers limited the damage to one run there, but was touched agin the fourth, when Ohio State opened the inning with back-to-back doubles.
Myers worked five innings and allowed two runs on six hits. He struck out five and walked two in his Pitt debut after transferring from Florida Southwestern State before this season.
Pitt could not solve Ohio State starter Seth Lonsway, who pitched six innings of one-hit ball and struck out 12 Panthers.
Replacing Myers, sophomore lefty Mason Ronan allowed two more runs in his two innings of work to give the Buckeyes all the cushion they needed.
The Panthers (2-1) will wrap their season-opening series in Port Charlotte, Florida with an 11 a.m. first pitch on Sunday against Iowa. Matt Gilbertson will make his Pitt debut in the series finale.
