Offense explodes as Pitt wins 2 against Irish

The Pitt baseball team knew its three-game weekend against Notre Dame would be important, but… The Pitt baseball team knew its three-game weekend against Notre Dame would be important, but knowing wasn’t enough. Execution would be what mattered.

So, Pitt let its bats do the talking, scoring a combined 29 runs to take the last two games of the series after falling in the opener.

In the first game, a closely played contest ensured that pitching, defense and timely hitting would determine the game’s outcome. After nine innings, the advantage belonged to the Fighting Irish, as they grabbed a 5-4 victory.

It was the second consecutive loss in Big East play for the Panthers.

Pitt was behind for most of the game, but hung on until the end. Trailing 5-2, Pitt gave itself a chance to keep the game within reach with a comeback effort in the bottom of the seventh.

Junior second baseman Chris Sedon started the comeback. For the second time in the game, he was hit by a pitch. An error and a fielder’s choice later, Pitt’s bases were loaded, when senior designated hitter Morgan Kielty singled down the right side, knocking in two runs.

In the ninth, the Fighting Irish held on to the one-run lead, ending Pitt’s effort with a catch at the wall on a ball struck by Joe Leonard to finish the game.

Pitt avenged the loss, twice, as the weekend continued.

In the second game, Pitt exploded with an offensive onslaught and captured a commanding 15-7 victory.

‘ A 13-hit afternoon paved the way for the Panthers, while the Irish were too busy rotating pitchers. The win set the stage for the deciding third and final Sunday game.

To prove the 15-7 victory was no aberration, Pitt knocked in just 14 runs in the last of three games, winning 14-11 to clinch the series.

Adding his first home run of the season, Kielty went 4 for 5 on the day, leading the way for the Panthers.

Entering the ninth inning, the Irish trailed by six, but they made things exciting by cutting Pitt’s lead in half. With two runners on base, a fly out to right field and line out to short by the Irish gave Pitt the win.

Pitt heads into games against Akron and Duquesne this week with a 15-7 record (4-2 in Big East), before traveling to Florida for a three-game Big East weekend against South Florida.

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