Baseball: Panthers split games in Ohio

The Pitt baseball team took a break from Big East action this week as the Panthers traveled to… The Pitt baseball team took a break from Big East action this week as the Panthers traveled to Ohio for games against Cleveland State and Kent State. The Panthers found success on Tuesday, defeating the Vikings 13-5, before falling to the Golden Flashes 9-5 on Wednesday.

Pitt 13, Cleveland State 5

Pitt used 18 hits, including four from senior Zach Duggan, to defeat Cleveland State Tuesday in Avon, Ohio.

The Panthers led by only one run at the top of the eighth inning, but a hit-by-pitch and a bases-loaded walk by Cleveland State allowed Pitt to score four runs on only two hits and take a large lead into the ninth inning.

In the top of the ninth inning, Pitt added three more runs on three hits. The Panthers held the Vikings to one hit in the bottom of the ninth.

Catcher Anthony Defabio led the Panthers with three hits and three RBIs. Duggan added one RBI while tying his career high with four hits. He also finished with four hits against Niagara earlier this season.

Designated hitter Kevan Smith contributed three hits and two RBI.

Cole Taylor pitched six innings of relief for the Panthers, earning his first win of the year. He gave up three hits and one unearned run.

Pitt 5, Kent State 9

The Panthers dropped a back-and-forth contest to Kent State on Wednesday as the Golden Flashes defeated Pitt in Kent, Ohio.

Freshman Derik Wilson led the Panthers with two hits and two RBI, while three other Pitt players also contributed two hits — Duggan, Casey Roche and John Schultz. The two teams went scoreless through the first five innings before the Panthers put up two runs in the sixth inning.

The Golden Flashes scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 3-2 lead, but Pitt quickly responded with two runs in the seventh. Kent State eventually claimed the lead for good in the eigth inning, scoring four runs and earning its second win over Pitt this season.

Pitt begins a three-game series against Villanova on Friday at 3 p.m. at Charles L. Cost Field.