Baseball: Pitt dominates Wichita State for shocking series sweep

The Pitt baseball team was faced with the daunting challenge of opening its 2013 season on the road against Wichita State, winners of 69 consecutive home games in February under legendary head coach Gene Stephenson.

But surprisingly to many college baseball fans, the Panthers emerged from the three-game set against the Shockers with a perfect record.

The Panthers (3-0), unfazed by the history on Wichita State’s side, scored an impressive 27 runs in the three contests with the Shockers (0-3).

The Pitt pitching was slightly less spectacular, surrendering 15 runs in the series, but it was sufficient enough to keep the Panthers afloat.

Junior pitcher Ethan Mildren believes that the sweep was the perfect way for Pitt to begin the new season.

“It was a great series win for us to start the year off with,” Mildren said in an interview. “We had great pitching from the starters and relievers, played solid defense and got timely hits when we needed it most.”

Pitt 6, Wichita State 4

Mildren started the series opener with a quality start on the mound, allowing just six base runners while striking out nine Shockers over seven innings. He said the team was anxious to finally begin the season.

“We’ve been preparing for this day for a long time,” Mildren said. “We had a great plan laid out and everyone went out and executed.”

Though Mildren did not receive the win, Pitt head coach Joe Jordano was impressed with the starter’s outing on Friday.

“Ethan Mildren pitched very well and settled down after the two-run homer in the first [inning] and got us through the seventh inning,” Jordano said.

Tanner Wilt, a sophomore reliever, picked up the win after striking out the game’s final batter with a runner on second base and the Panthers leading 6-4.

Junior right fielder Casey Roche led the offense, finishing the day with three hits and driving in the game-winning run in the top of the ninth inning.

Pitt 10, Wichita State 8

Roche continued his hot hitting in the second game of the series, a 10-8 Panthers victory on Saturday, by clubbing his first home run of the season. In addition to the third-inning two-run shot, Roche drove in Pitt’s final run with a fielder’s choice in the ninth.

Every Pitt position player recorded at least one hit — including redshirt junior Steven Shelinsky Jr., who entered the game as a pinch hitter in the sixth and hit his first career home run. The Panthers tallied 17 base knocks in addition to four walks in the series’ second game.

“I thought we came out again today and did a lot of good things,” Coach Jordano said of Saturday’s triumph. “Offensively, we swung the bats well again but left a ton of runners in scoring position. We need to keep grinding and playing hard.”

Part of that tenacious play includes finishing out games.

The Panthers nearly relinquished a big lead when Wichita State scored a pair of runs in the seventh inning and three runs in the eighth, narrowing the gap to 9-7. In the bottom of the ninth — after Roche’s run-scoring fielder’s choice in the top half of the inning — the first three Shockers reached base, one of them scoring an eighth run for the home side.

Wilt entered the game and immediately induced a sharp lineout to senior shortstop Evan Oswald, who threw to first to double up the Wichita State base runner. After the next batter grounded out to second, Wilt recorded his first save of the season and ensured a Pitt series victory.

Pitt’s starting pitcher, junior righty Matt Wotherspoon, picked up the win despite allowing six earned runs and 11 hits in 7 1/3 innings pitched.

Pitt 11, Witchita State 3

Sunday’s starting pitcher, Pitt junior Rhys Aldenhoven, was more effective, throwing 6 1/3 innings and surrendering four hits and no walks. The right-handed Aldenhoven allowed just two runs — one earned — and struck out three en route to his first win.

The Panthers staked an early six-run lead against Wichita State’s redshirt junior starter, right-hander Tobin Mateychick. With Pitt already leading by two, sophomore first baseman Eric Hess launched a grand slam to deep right field, a blast that would chase Mateychick from the game after he retired just one batter.

In the second inning, Roche piled on to the torrent start with his second home run of the series. He finished the weekend with a robust .571 average and seven runs batted in.

“Obviously that’s a tough place to play,” said Roche, who was named Big East Player of the Week following his impressive opening series. “It’s great for us to go in a hostile environment and sweep a team with that kind of track record.”

Pitt added four more runs and suppressed a dejected Shockers’ offense, completing the series sweep with a resounding 11-3 victory.

Coach Jordano was pleased with Pitt’s weekend, but he remained humble knowing an arduous schedule full of tough opponents remains.

“We played very well as a team this weekend,” he said. “For us to sweep such a storied program as Wichita State is a great accomplishment, but I know this team is looking forward to getting back to practice on Tuesday and preparing for our next opportunity.”

Roche echoed his coach’s statement.

“Once we get back [to Pitt], it’s back to business and time to focus on the next game,” he said.

That next opportunity will come in Spartanburg, S.C. this weekend when the Panthers face Wofford College in a three-game series starting Friday at 4 p.m.