Pitt loses Jordano, takes one from Fighting Irish

Every loss is costly, but the Pitt baseball team lost the game and then some against Central… Every loss is costly, but the Pitt baseball team lost the game and then some against Central Michigan last week.

Pitt head coach Joe Jordano was struck by a foul ball and had to have surgery that same night. Because of this, he wasn’t able to be with the team as it traveled to Notre Dame for a weekend series.

He didn’t think he would be able to rejoin the team until this Thursday, he said in an e-mail.

Assistant coach Joel Dombkowski took over head coaching duties, leading the Panthers (18-30, 7-16 Big East) to win the team’s final game of the Panther Classic and then split two games against Notre Dame over the weekend. The third scheduled game was rained out.

“We expected this weekend to be the hardest of the year,” said Dombkowski. “I think that’s partly why we played so well.”

The Fighting Irish (33-15-1, 16-7 Big East) currently hold second place in the Big East.

“That helped with our focus going into the series,” said Dombkowski.

Central Michigan 10, Pitt 8

The Chippewas struck early, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning, but the Panthers battled back to tie the game at three in the second inning.

Pitt scored one in the first on an RBI single by Morgan Kielty that scored Sean Conley and two in the third on an RBI double by John Schultz, who then scored on a wild pitch.

The Chippewas took the lead for good with two runs in the seventh and three in the eighth, although the Panthers had one more comeback left in them.

After Schultz and Conley singled with two outs, Danny Lopez drove in Shultz with a single, and Kielty did the same to plate Conley. The lead was down to two with two runners on when Dan Williams walked to load the bases, but Joe Leonard grounded out too short to end the game.

Pitt 25, Coppin State 5

In the final game of the Panther Classic, it seemed the only thing that could stop the Panthers was Mother Nature.

Backed by a 15 spot in the fifth, Pitt unloaded for 25 runs in six innings when the game was called for rain.

Jordan Herr went 3 for 4, scoring three runs and driving in five.

Lopez hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning. He finished the game 2 for 5 with four RBIs and three runs scored.

Kielty and Leonard both had two hits and three RBIs.

Freshmen Brian Trymbiski and Zach Duggan also had two RBIs apiece.

Thanks to outstanding run support, a solid start by freshman Hugh Henry resulted in the first win of his Panther career. Henry went all six innings, giving up five runs on five hits, while also striking out five.

Notre Dame 5, Pitt 4 (10 innings)

A few Panthers might have had some new bruises the next day, but that was the price to pay for tying the game in the ninth inning.

Trailing by two runs, Chris Warner was hit by a pitch to open the ninth. Nick Mullins was hit by a pitch soon after. Schultz singled to load the bases, and then an infield single by Lopez cut the lead in half.

With the bases still loaded, Kielty tied the game after he was hit by a pitch.

Chris Tonte scored the go-ahead run on a dropped fly by the center fielder off the bat of Philip Konieczny.

Notre Dame answered back with an RBI double with two outs to tie the game and then the winning run, scored on a dropped pop-up to Lopez at short.

“He had a beat on it. I think at the last second he took his eye off it, and it hit the heel of his glove and popped out,” said Dombkowski, also noting Lopez had made a few great plays in the field earlier in the game, and heavy wind might have hurt Lopez’s effort.

Pitt 5, Notre Dame 3

With the game tied at three in the seventh, sloppy defense from the previous day carried over to help the Panthers.

Duggan reached on an error by the shortstop with one out. Lopez singled to put runners on first and second, and then Conley doubled to score Duggan. Tonte came in to pinch run for Lopez and soon scored on a groundout by Williams.

Although starter Rob Brant didn’t get the win, he went 6 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on three hits. Coming into the game, the senior was 1-5 with an ERA over five.

“He’s been having a tough year, but he gutted it out,” said Dombkowski. “He also fielded his position well.”

Dombkowski noted the last batter that Brant faced as an example of the pitcher’s defensive prowess on the mound. After hitting the leadoff man and walking the next batter, a bunt was attempted to move both runners into scoring position. Brant raced forward, fielded the ball, spun and threw out the lead runner at third.

Ricky Breymier came in and got out of the jam to end the threat and the inning.