April 11, 2008

Box Score

CINCINNATI-The Pitt baseball team dropped its series-opener at Cincinnati by a tally of 6-3 Friday evening at Marge Schott Stadium. The Panthers fell behind early, but were able to even the score at 2-2 before the Bearcat offense sealed the deal in the bottom of the eighth inning.

 

Both left-handed starters tossed complete games for their respective clubs as Dan Osterbrock earned his fourth win of the season for Cincinnati, while Pitt's Nate Reed picked up the loss.

 

Cincinnati jumped out to a one-run lead in the first inning taking advantage of a one-out single by Jamel Scott. The sophomore stole second, advanced to third on a groundout and scored the game's first run after a Panther fielding error. The Bearcats added a second run to their tally in the third, advancing their lead to 2-0.

 

Pitt clawed back in the top of the fourth, tying the game at 2-2 as the Panther bats broke out. Left fielder Sean Conley (SR/Chippewa, Pa./Blackhawk) ripped a leadoff double to left-center field as shortstop Danny Lopez (SO/Queens, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) followed with a single of his own. Lopez advanced to second on the throw to third, putting two runners in scoring position for the Panthers with no outs.

 

First baseman Dan Williams (SR/Berwyn, Pa./Episcopal Academy) drove Conley home with a single to left field, plating the Panthers' first run of the game. Williams' hit was part of a 3-4 effort in today's game as the senior also tallied his team-high ninth double in the contest.

 

With Lopez on third, catcher Nick Mullins (SR/Brick, N.J./Brookdale Community College) used a sac-fly to center field to score Lopez and tie the game at 2-2. Osterbrock would retire two of the next three Panther batters to get out of the inning.

 

Reed (SO/Reading, Pa./Oley Valley) and the Pitt defense held the Bearcats scoreless in the bottom of the fourth, but the Cincinnati offense rallied to regain the lead in the fifth inning.

 

After a one-out single from Josh Harrison, Cameron Satterwhite launched his third homerun of the season over the wall in right-center filed, giving the Bearcats a 4-2 lead.

 

The Panther offense responded in the very next inning with three-consecutive singles. Lopez got the hit-party started with a single up the middle, followed by Williams' third hit of the day to the left side. Mullins tallied his second RBI of the contest with a single of his own through the right side, plating Lopez for Pitt's third run.

 

Down one, the Panther offense could not muster another run for the remainder of the game as Cincinnati added two insurance scores of their own in the bottom of the eighth for the games' final of 6-3.

 

Osterbock (4-2) notched his second complete game of the season, earning the win with eight strikeouts and no walks. Reed (3-4), who also notched his second complete game of the season, threw all eight innings for Pitt, tallying three strikeouts and one walk.

 

Lopez and Williams each recorded multi-hit efforts in the contest, as Lopez notched four assists on the day, pushing his season total to a team-high 81.

 

The Bearcats and Panthers will resume play tomorrow in a 3 p.m. contest at Marge Schott Stadium.