The Pitt baseball team has gotten off to a strong start this season and checked off some important milestones as a program just last week. The Panthers climbed as high as No. 14 in the country in some polls, Baseball America projected Pitt to not only make the NCAA Tournament field, but play host to a first round region as well.
Pitt also got to play its first home game of the season and home series after playing the first part of the season entirely on the road. Due to the season being cancelled early last season, Pitt got to play at Cost Field for just the second time since the end of the 2019 season.
Pitt held its home opener Wednesday against Bucknell and took down the Bison by a score of 17-9. The Panthers racked up 18 hits, including a 4-for-5 showing from Ron Washington Jr. Senior David Yanni collected 7 RBI"s, including a first inning grand slam to lead to the hit parade.
Pitt then got set to host No. 22 Virginia Tech for a weekend home series. The Hokies took all three games from the Panthers over the weekend. Pitt's record now sits at 12-8 and 8-7 in league play. The team went from holding a share of first place to dropping to fourth in the ACC Coastal. Baseball America dropped Pitt to No. 17 in the rankings this week. Pitt will look to rebound this weekend when it plays host to No. 12 Notre Dame for a three-game set beginning on Thursday.
Here is a look back on Pitt's weekend series against the Hokies.
Game One
Virginia Tech 5, Pitt 1
Friday night starter Mitch Myers got the call and battled, but was not as effective as he has been with his command. Myers went six innings and struck out six, but labored by allowing six hits, four walks, and he hit a batter as well. Virginia Tech grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the third inning. Pitt got one run back when Riley Wash brought home Yanni on a base hit, but the Panthers left the bases loaded after that in a key point in the game. The 22nd-ranked Hokies then added a run in the seventh, and two in the eighth for insurance. Pitt never really threatened late in the game. Senior centerfielder Nico Popa had three of Pitt's six hits on the game, as the Panthers failed to register an extra-base hit in the game.
Game Two
Virginia Tech 8, Pitt 4
Pitt took too long to get the bats going in this one. The Panthers entered the ninth inning trailing 8-1, but put together a rally to make it a game. Nico Popa and Kyle Hess both singled to start the inning, then Washington Jr. mashed a three-run bomb to make it 8-4 and no outs. Yanni followed that up with a single and Sam Frontino hit a double to put a pair of runners on still with no out trailing by four, but the Panthers struck out three times in a row to end the game and the Hokies survived. Pitt just mustered three hits in the first eight innings of the game, as Virginia Tech pitchers Anthony Simonelli and Jaison Heard combined for 12 strikeouts. Pitt starter Matt Gilbertson worked seven innings and allowed four. He struck out three, walked one, and scattered six hits but not get much help from his offense. Hess and Washington Jr. both had two-hit games for Pitt.
Game Three
Virginia Tech 8, Pitt 4
Sunday played out similar to Saturday, as the Pitt offense spent most of the afternoon struggling, but then came back to life late with one big inning. Pitt found itself trailing 4-1 going into the bottom of the seventh, but centerfielder Jordan Anderson produced a two-run single and he later came home on a fielder's choice to tie it at 4, but the Panthers bullpen allowed two runs in the 8th and two more in the 9th to set the final. Pitt starter Stephen Hansen 5 and 1/3 innings and struck out 5 and walked one. He allowed four runs, three earned as he finished with a no decision. Pitt got multi-hit games from Washington (3-5), Bryce Hulett (2--3), and Brock Franks (2-4). The rest of Pitt's lineup came up with just one combined hit.
