St. John’s takes two of three at Pitt

After Nate Reed held the St. John’s Red Storm to only three runs in the first game of a… After Nate Reed held the St. John’s Red Storm to only three runs in the first game of a three-game set, it appeared the Pitt baseball team was prepared to compete with one of the top teams in the Big East.

On Saturday and Sunday, the Red Storm bats woke up.

Starters Corey Baker and Rob Brant gave up six and seven runs, respectively, in two Pitt losses.

The Panthers (12-23, 4-11 Big East) dropped the last two games of the series, but they staged comebacks in both contests that, albeit fell short, made sure each game remained close.

“We’re going to work hard every day, we’re going to work hard every inning and we’re going to try and do everything we can to win a baseball game,” Pitt coach Joe Jordano said.

The Panthers host Georgetown next weekend. The first game is Friday and there will be a doubleheader on Saturday.

Pitt 6, St. John’s 3

Backed by strong pitching performances by Reed and relief pitcher David Kaye, the Panthers defeated St. John’s (28-9, 11-4 Big East).

“Nate did a heck of a job,” Jordano said. “He threw a very solid game.”

On top of stellar pitching, Joe Leonard made sure the Panthers’ offense tallied more than enough runs to win.

The freshman went 2 for 4, with four RBI’s and two runs scored.

“Those are big at bats coming from a freshman,” Jordano said of Leonard’s performance. “I was very pleased with his effort today.”

In the bottom of the second, Leonard’s two-run home run to right field broke a scoreless tie.

Leonard increased the lead in the fourth. A walk to Nick Mullins and single by Morgan Kielty put runners on the corners. Leonard again went opposite field, this time for a ground-rule double.

Because it was a ground-rule double, each runner advanced two bases, so Kielty was forced to stay at third, although he might’ve been able to score from first had the ball not gone over the wall. Leonard came around the score on a wild pitch later that inning.

The Panthers tacked on their fifth run in the bottom of the fifth when Zach Duggan scored on a balk and their sixth run in the next inning on a fielder’s choice.

Reed pitched 7 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on six hits while striking out four and walking three. He improved to 4-5 on the season. Kaye finished out the game without giving up a hit.

St. John’s 7, Pitt 4

After Chris Anninos singled to lead off the second inning, Greg Hopkins blasted a home run to left field to give the Red Storm a two-run lead.

The lead was cut to one run in the third inning. With Jordan Herr on third and Sean Conley on second, Dan Williams drove a ball through the right side of the infield, scoring Herr, but a perfect throw by Anninos from right field reached the plate in time to gun down Conley at home.

Anninos also hit two home runs in the game. St. John’s 11, Pitt 8

The Panthers fell behind early and never fully recuperated.

With a runner on first, Gil Zayas belted a two-run homer to left field to give the Red Storm a lead before the Panthers even came to the plate.

In the top of the fourth inning, St. John’s scored four runs, reminiscent of Saturday’s game, but, unlike the previous day, Jordano didn’t stick with his starter, Rob Brant, past the fourth.

Mullins doubled with one out in the ninth and Herr walked to put two men on and bring the tying run to the plate, but a grounder to first for one out and then a ground out to short ended the threat, the game and the series.