Pittsburgh–The Pittsburgh Panthers took the game and the series against the Virginia Cavaliers, 4-1, on April 17.
Despite playing on Easter Sunday, goose eggs were the story of the game as Panthers hurlers Billy Corcoran and Baron Stuart held Virginia scoreless for eight of nine innings pitched.
The Panthers batters, for their part, loaded the bases repeatedly with a depleted lineup.Â
Two Cavaliers errors helped the Panthers load the bases in the second inning. Designated hitter Jack Anderson scored on a sacrifice fly from left fielder Josh Overbeek, his first RBI on the season.
B2 | Pitt 1, No. 5 Virginia 0
We take the game's first lead! @JoshOverbeek4 gets it deep enough for @jacksa13 to tag up and get home safely!
Each team plated one run in the fourth. Shifted to the right side of the infield, Sky Duff struggled to corral a ground ball and rushed the throw to first, allowing Cavaliers first baseman Devin Ortiz to take second base. Center fielder Chris Newell hit a double as the two traded places.
The Panthers scored on another bases-loaded sacrifice fly, this one by center fielder Nick Giamarusti.
B4 | Pitt 2, No. 5 Virginia 1
Another sac fly, this time from @nickgiama28, gives us the lead again!
Pitt loaded the bases once again in the fifth, but the Cavaliers turned a 5-2-3-2 triple play. Ortiz flipped the ball into the infield after the second out, and Duff tried to advance home as it bounced in no man’s land. Ortiz recovered the misplay and threw home, where Duff was injured on a slide attempt. Redshirt sophomore Cameron Barto replaced him at third.Â
The Cavaliers tested Barto immediately, as he fielded two outs in his first inning of work.
Corcoran retired the top of the Cavaliers lineup in order in his final inning, finishing with four strikeouts and no earned runs in seven innings.Â
Shortstop Tommy Tavarez walked in a run with the bases loaded in the bottom of the frame. Ron Washington Jr. pinch hit for Dom Popa, a lefty, with one out and pulled a long single over the left fielder’s head that made it 4-1. Kyle Hess replaced him to pinch run, and remained in the game at right.
Stuart entered for Corcoran and didn’t let a single runner reach in a six out save, striking out two.
The win moves the Panthers to 21-13 on the season, and 9-8 in the ACC. Their next game will take place at PNC Park at 6pm on Tuesday, April 19, in the Backyard Brawl against West Virginia.
