Pitt offense gets charge from Sedon

Heading into this weekend’s action against Louisville, Pitt baseball’s Chris Sedon leads… Heading into this weekend’s action against Louisville, Pitt baseball’s Chris Sedon leads the Panthers in batting average, runs scored, RBIs, stolen bases and home runs this season.

And he’s doing it all in his first year at Pitt.

But for Pitt coach Joe Jordano, Sedon’s performance is exactly what he expected.

‘It’s great,’ said Jordano of the second baseman’s start with the team. ‘Chris is a threat to steal and he can create opportunities for us offensively.’

What Sedon brings to Pitt baseball — besides a .398 batting average on the season — is what he’s brought to his game throughout his career. Before transferring to Pitt, Sedon played college baseball at Lackawanna Community College. In 2007, Sedon’s last season with the junior college, he helped lead his team to the Region XIX championship.

With a .336 batting average, four home runs and 22 stolen bases during his championship season, Sedon was on the Panthers’ recruiting list.

‘We knew he would fill a need for us,’ said Jordano. ‘We were very pleased when he committed to us.’

Jordano’s effort to get him to Pitt paid off too, as Sedon liked the relationship he built with the coaches during the recruiting process.

‘The coaches were a big reason,’ said Sedon about his decision to come to Pitt. ‘The coaches were really nice and made the decision for me.’

Sedon, who said the coaching staff was in contact with him for both of his years at Lackawanna, earned the starting second baseman duties this season. And his history of stolen bases and high batting average placed him in the leadoff spot in the batting order.

Still, his success doesn’t come easily. Sedon said he is constantly working to perfect his game. Along with team practices once or twice a week, he also works out every night.

‘Depending on the team’s game schedule, I’m up in the Cost Center with a few friends from the team for a few hours practicing even more,’ said Sedon.

Jordano couldn’t be happier with the extra effort.

‘Chris is a very solid baseball player and he loves the process,’ said Jordano. ‘He loves to practice and he is a student of the game.’

And fortunately for the team, Sedon is playing at his highest level at just the right time.

As the Panthers get ready to battle the Louisville Cardinals this weekend, Jordano has his team in the middle of the Big East standings with a respectable 17-10 record.

Last year, Pitt finished the season second-to-last in the conference and in the bottom half of the Big East in almost every statistical category, including a .291 team batting average.

But Sedon’s success this season has changed that.

The team batting average is currently fourth in the Big East, and Sedon ranks among the conference’s best hitters.

Sedon is happy to see his success help the team.

‘I think this year it really put us on the map because of our record,’ said Sedon of his and the team’s success. ‘I think people are starting to recognize that Pitt baseball is pretty good.’