Baseball: Panthers sweep Rutgers behind strong pitching

Led by solid pitching in each game, the Pitt baseball team picked up its second sweep in the Big… Led by solid pitching in each game, the Pitt baseball team picked up its second sweep in the Big East this weekend against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

The Panthers remain two games behind Connecticut in the race for the regular season conference championship.

Pitt also continued its dominance in doubleheaders as it took its fourth of the season on Thursday.

Pitt 4. Rutgers 0

In the first game of the doubleheader, junior Matt Iannazzo led the Panthers to a win in a dominant pitching performance.

Iannazzo went the distance in the first game, shutting out the Scarlet Knights.

His five-hit, complete-game performance — with only two walks — raised his record to 5-2 on the season.

In the bottom of the second, Pitt scored two runs to give Iannazzo all of the run support that he would need.

Zach Duggan’s single down the left field line scored Phil Konieczny, who singled to start the two-out offense.

After the the first run scored, Rutgers’ pitcher Tyler Gebler committed an error, and Pitt’s Derik Wilson scored a run. Wilson reached base after being hit by a pitch.

The Pitt offense added two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Wilson sacrificed himself with a bunt to score Rick Devereaux, and then Duggan singled to left center to score Casey Roche.

With the 4-0 lead, Iannazzo stayed strong through the last three innings to give Pitt the win heading into the second game of the day.

Pitt 3 Rutgers 0

In the nightcap on Thursday, senior Corey Baker looked to one-up his teammate Iannazzo.

Baker threw a seven-inning shutout for Pitt, allowing four hits. He added to his all-time career win record with his 23rd victory.

Pitt’s run production started in the third inning with a double by Travis Whitmore over the center fielder’s head. Duggan brought him in later with a ground out.

Once again, the Panthers’ first run would be enough for the victory.

After Baker left in the seventh, the Panthers scored a run in the seventh and eighth to bring their advantage to 3-0.

In the seventh, Roche singled up the middle to bring in the second run of the game, scoring Anthony DeFabio.

During the next inning, the Panthers tallied their final run on a double by John Schultz that scored Wilson.

Baker’s performance got the second win of the day and improved Pitt’s record to 8-0 in doubleheader games.

Pitt 8, Rutgers 3

Friday’s game was postponed until Saturday, but the Panthers were still in Thursday’s form as they finished the sweep.

Freshman Ethan Mildren kept up with the theme of the weekend and put together the third solid outing of the series by a starting pitcher for Pitt.

Mildren was pulled in the eighth inning after allowing a hit and a walk, despite his good performance. In total, he allowed three runs off seven hits.

Schultz headlined the Pitt offense, finishing 4-5 on the day. Roche and Wilson also chipped in with two RBI each.

The Panthers have won four straight series since losing the opening Big East series to Connecticut.

Pitt will kick off next weekend’s series with a doubleheader on Saturday at Charles L. Cost Field against the visiting Cincinnati Bearcats, who currently sit at seventh in the conference.