Billy Corcoran pitched six strong innings and Pitt scored just enough to defeat Eastern Michigan, 3-2 on Friday in Sanford, Florida and improve to 4-1 on the 2020 season.
Making his second start of the season, Corcoran allowed two runs over his six innings, but struck out nine Eagles and did not allow a walk.
The Panthers staked Corcoran with an early lead when Ron Washington, Jr. drove in his ninth run of the season with an RBI double that scored David Yanni in the bottom of the first.
Pitt added on when Yanni plated Nico Popa with a single in the third and in the fourth, when Popa drove in Riley Wash with run-scoring double play.
Corcoran (2-0) ran into trouble in the sixth, when a single, a wild pitch, a double and two ground outs scored two runs for EMU. Through two games, he has a 1.64 ERA.
He got out of the inning and then turned things over to the Pitt bullpen, which shut things down. Dylan Lester worked 1 2/3 innings and then Chase Smith closed down the final 1 1/3 for his first save of the season. Lester and Smith combined for three no-hit innings.
Pitt will continue its three-game series with Eastern Michigan in Sanford with a 3 p.m. first pitch on Saturday. Mitch Myers (0-1, 3.60 ERA) is expected to make his second start of the season.
