Connect with us

Pitt Baseball

Maine Defeats Pitt, 11-7, In Second Game of Weekend Series

Published

on

Maine got the best of Pitt, 11-7, on Saturday afternoon in the Snowbird Classic at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla. The weekend series is now even at 1-1. The Panthers outlasted the Black Bears, 11-10, in Friday’s matchup.

It was a rough outing for Pitt’s pitchers, allowing 14 hits and 11 runs. In total, the Panthers went through five pitchers. Junior righty Jack Sokol allowing six runs in the top of the fifth was the low moment of the afternoon. On the offensive side for the Panthers, shortstop Tommy Tavarez went 3-for-4 and had a RBI, while right fielder CJ Funk went 3-for-5 and had two RBIs and a home run.

Maine struck first with a leadoff home run by Jake Rainess to right field to take an early 1-0 lead. Pitt answered in the bottom of the first, as Funk blasted a homer to tie the game at 1-1.  Panthers sophomore left-handed pitcher Ethan Firoved gave up another home run in the top of the second, a solo shot to left field by Matt McElwain.

Firoved continued to struggle as he threw a wild pitch in the top of the third that advanced Connor Goodman to home plate and Maine scored an unearned run to enhance its lead to 3-1. Funk recorded another RBI in the bottom of the third, as he hit a double down the left field line to bring Sky Duff home and cut the Black Bears’ lead to 3-2.

Maine surged in top of the fifth with six runs to increase its lead to 9-2 as Pitt just absolutely unraveled. McElwain and Rainess both recorded their second RBIs of the afternoon with singles. Jeremiah Jenkins got walked to bring another run home. And then, Connor Goodman doubled to left center to bring home two runs. Sokol gave up six runs on five hits in the fifth and was pulled before the inning ended. He was replaced by junior right-hander Holden Phelps.

Pitt didn’t let the game get away from them, however, as Tavarez doubled down the left field line to bring Noah Martinez home. Dom Popa then doubled to center field to knock in two runs to cut Maine’s lead to 9-5. A two-run home run by AJ Nessler in the bottom of the seventh trimmed the Black Bears’ lead to 9-7.

Maine got some breathing room in the top of the eighth, thanks to a single to left field by McElwain that knocked in a run. In the top of the ninth, Myles Sargent signed to center field to put through another runner and extend the Black Bears lead to 11-7. Justin Baeyens gave up just one hit in the eighth and ninth inning to prevent a Pitt comeback.

The rubber match for the series between Pitt and Maine will take place on Sunday at 2 p.m. Graduate student righty Erubiel Candelario will get the start for the Panthers on the mound.

Sandy Schall, Coldwell Banker
1 Comment
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Burton Tee
Burton Tee
1 year ago

Sokol got shelled. Absolutely shelled.

Bell’s pitching is getting destroyed early this season. I hope he’s got a Plan B or the ACC part of the schedule will be a massacre.

H2P

Get PSN in your inbox!

Enter your email and get all of our posts delivered straight to your inbox.

 
Like Pittsburgh Sports Now on Facebook!
Send this to a friend