Pitt Baseball Falls to Boston College

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh baseball team dropped game one of three to Boston College Thursday afternoon, falling to the Eagles 6-4.

Boston College jumped on the Panthers early as two-hitter Joe Cronin sent a two-run home run over the left field wall in the top of the first inning.

Pitt responded in the home half of the first to reduce the BC lead to 2-1. Charles Leblanc drove a double to right-center and advanced to third on an error by pitcher Mike King. Leblanc would then come home to score on a Nick Yarnall sacrifice fly.

The Panthers would even the score in the second inning. Frank Maldonado walked and moved to third base on a Matt Johnson single. Maldonado then came home to tie the game 2-2 when Jacob Wright smacked a single to right field.

In the fourth, Boston College regained its lead when Matt Bigras hit a solo shot to center field.

The Eagles put together a three-run inning in the sixth to extend their lead to 6-2. A four batter sequence that resulted in two walks, a single, and a double plated the first two runs of the frame for Boston College. BC added its final run of the sixth when a Tyler Garbee balk sent Cronin from third to home.

Again, Pitt responded to the Eagles with a run of its own. Senior Alex Kowalczyk started off the bottom of the sixth with a double to the gap in left-center. David Yanni drove Kowalczyk home one pitch later with a base knock to left.

The Panthers added another in the seventh after a pair of walks and a Kowalczyk sacrifice fly plated Wright. Wright’s run provided the final score of the game, as Boston College’s 6-4 advantage would hold.

For Pitt, starting pitcher Josh Falk (2-2) recorded the loss, pitching 5.1 innings and allowing four runs on seven hits. Relief pitchers Tyler Garbee and Jextin Pugh combined for 3.1 innings of shutout work, allowing just one hit each.

Offensively, the Panthers were led by Leblanc who went 2-4 with a walk and two runs scored. Wright, Kowalczyk, and Yanni each contributed an RBI in the contest.

Pitt and Boston College will face off for game two of the series Friday at 1 p.m.


Copyright © 2024 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited.

Comments are temporarily closed. A new and improved comments section will be added soon.