Baseball: Panthers ready for Big East play

Coming off a loss to Penn State on Wednesday, the Pitt baseball team will get the chance to… Coming off a loss to Penn State on Wednesday, the Pitt baseball team will get the chance to bounce back against a Big East opponent this weekend.

Pitt’s coaches are more familiar with teams and individual players during the conference season and Notre Dame — the Panthers’ weekend opposition — is no exception.

The Fighting Irish have 13 juniors and seniors that Pitt head coach Joe Jordano has seen in their younger years.

“In-conference games are definitely games that we go into with better knowledge of our opponent,” Pitt senior Rick Devereaux said. “We will use our scouting report, like we do in out-of-conference games, but it is important for us to stick to our plan and play our game.”

Sophomore Steve Shelinsky agreed.

“Our coaches do know our conference opponents a little better, but as a team, we strive to play our game,” Shelinsky said. “It does not matter who our opponent is that particular day. As long as we stick to our game plan, we’re going to make it a very difficult day for our opponent.”

He added that it’s important for the Panthers to stay with their game plan.

“We can’t allow the reputation of our opponent to play into the way we play our game,” he said.

The Fighting Irish, led by second-year head coach Mik Aoki, were chosen to finish sixth out of 12 teams in the Big East in the coaches’ preseason poll. Pitt was selected eighth.

After the Panthers swept Hartford in their home-opening series last weekend, they fell to Penn State 5-3 on Wednesday in State College. Despite the loss, Pitt continues to play well, considering it lost three out of its first four games this season.

Shelinsky said the Panthers are gaining confidence as the season progresses.

“Our confidence level has definitely grown coming off of a four-game winning streak,” he said.

“We are starting to click on all cylinders.”

Pitt defeated Michigan State before picking up three wins against Hartford.

With a 10-8 record through the nonconference schedule, the Big East slate offers the Panthers a fresh start at pursuing the post-season.

“Our team will continue to work on our entire game as we prepare for the conference schedule,” Devereaux said. “We’ll try to be a better team every time we step on the field.”

The Panthers’ bats have started heating up in recent games, and Pitt needs solid offensive output to continue as the tough conference competition approaches.

“As a team, I believe that we were happy with how we hit lately,” Shelinksy said.

“There is always more to work on, but as long as we concentrate on sticking to our game plan offensively and execute, there is not going to be a pitcher that we are not prepared to face.”