Crucial series vs. Cards

Earlier this spring, the Pitt baseball season seemed all but over before it even had a… Earlier this spring, the Pitt baseball season seemed all but over before it even had a chance to start.

The Panthers lost their first eight games of the 2007 season. The team was in disarray, and a cast of young, inexperienced players needed to gel quickly in order to give Pitt any hope of making the Big East Tournament in May.

Sixteen games later, the Panthers have miraculously turned their fortune around and clawed their way back into the hunt for a Big East playoff spot with an 11-13 overall record, including a 5-3 mark in the conference.

This weekend, Pitt can make a resounding statement throughout the Big East by defeating the conference-leading Louisville Cardinals in Louisville. At 20-8 overall and 6-1 in the conference, the Cardinals seem to be running away with the Big East regular season title.

The Cardinals are led offensively by senior outfielder Isiah Howes. Howes is batting .423 on the season, good enough for third in the conference. He’s also second on the team with seven home runs and 10 doubles.

Senior utility man Logan Johnson has picked up right where he left off last season. A year removed from leading the Cardinals with 10 home runs, Johnson currently leads the team with nine. His power, plus some clutch hitting, has contributed to his team-leading 33 RBIs.

To balance the power in the middle of the order, senior outfielder and leadoff hitter Boomer Whiting has tormented teams on the bases. Whiting, who’s batting .421 with 35 runs scored, has stolen a Big East-leading 37 bases so far this season.

Louisville also has some tremendous arms to compliment their thunderous bats.

In his first full season in the starting rotation, junior Zack Pitts has been sensational. Pitts has notched 42 strikeouts and only 12 walks in 47 innings of work. His 1.15 ERA and .205 opposing batting average are second in the Big East only to Pitt’s own Kyle Landis.

Louisville’s No. 2 starter, true freshman Justin Marks, has put up equally impressive numbers in his inaugural campaign. Marks boasts a 2-1 record with a 3.15 ERA and has allowed only one home run in 34.1 innings pitched. Marks has also held opposing batters to a measly .216 average.

The Cardinals bullpen stalwart has been redshirt senior Trystan Magnuson. Magnuson has yet to give up a run in 22.1 innings of work and leads the team with three saves. He also boasts a remarkable 24-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

The Panthers, meanwhile, are coming off just their second loss in their last six contests. On Wednesday, Youngstown State beat Pitt 7-5 at Trees Field, making its series with Louisville all the more important.

The Penguins scored an early three runs in the top of the first on Wednesday, but the Panthers countered with three of their own in the bottom of the inning.

A shaky start by Ryan Dunford allowed two more Youngstown State runs in the second, putting the Panthers behind two – the Penguins’ eventual margin of victory.

Despite the loss, the Panthers notched 11 hits for the game, three coming from senior Seth Button.

Pitt gets most of its power from Button, the firstbaseman. Button has belted a team-best four home runs and is second on the team with 25 hits. The Panthers also are led offensively by redshirt freshman third baseman Gary Bucuren. Bucuren has a team-high .341 batting average and 18 RBIs. He has also added five steals.

Delaware transfer Jordan Herr is second on the team with a .317 batting average and is tied for the team lead with two triples.

Kyle Landis, who was only recently moved into the starting rotation, leads the Big East with a miniscule 0.31 ERA and .190 opposing batting average.

Pitt’s second starter, senior right-hander Paul Nardozzi, has posted a 2.66 ERA through seven appearances and leads the team with 39 strikeouts. Nardozzi has tossed two shutouts this season, including one two weeks ago against Notre Dame which earned him Big East Pitcher of the Week honors, and will be looking to add another to that total this weekend.

The three-game series began last night in Louisville, Ky., and will continue through Saturday.