Wild game in Washington

No matter how much Pitt does, it’s just not enough right now.

The Panthers rallied to tie… No matter how much Pitt does, it’s just not enough right now.

The Panthers rallied to tie Penn State twice late in Wednesday’s game, but a Scott Gummo bloop single fell just beyond the pulled Pitt infield to spark a three-run 11th inning for the Nittany Lions, and they held on to beat the Panthers, 7-4.

The loss extended Pitt’s losing streak to eight, leaving a frustrated Joe Jordano to shrug after the game.

“We haven’t had a break go our way all year,” the head coach said after the game. He pointed out that eight of his team’s losses this season have been by a combined nine runs.

Gaffney led off the inning with a single and Lance Thompson followed with a single of his own to set up Gummo’s RBI blooper. Brian Ernst followed with a single to score Thompson, and then Cory Runt hit into a fielder’s choice to score Jim Leitgeb, who ran for Gummo.

Parise, the Panthers’ starting rightfielder, had thrown two scoreless innings coming into the game. Despite the loss, Jordano didn’t second-guess leaving in his outfielder to throw the full last inning.

“They hit one ball hard against him, and that was the leadoff guy,” he said.

After trailing the entire game, Pitt tied the game in the bottom of the eighth. Jimmy Mayer hit a one-out single and Jim Negrych followed with another single. Penn State head coach Robbie Wine pulled Steve Cline in favor of Aaron Markowitz, who walked Peter Parise. Wine then pulled Markowitz for Matt Ogrodnik.

With the bases loaded, Morgan Kielty grounded to first. First baseman Cory Wine chose to go home for the force out, but his throw pulled James Spinelli off the plate. Spinelli reached out to tag out Mayer. Both Mayer and Jordano argued fervently that he didn’t get the tag around, but the call stood.

Following that play, Wine changed pitchers again, bringing on Mark Wyner, who walked Dan Williams to force in Negrych with the tying run. Wyner then struck out Brian Muldowney to get out of the inning.

Neither side scored in the ninth – Sean Conley reached on a fielder’s choice but was picked off to end the inning – but in the 10th Penn State struck again. Wine worked a one-out walk, and then moved to second on a passed ball. Spinelli followed with a grounder to short, and Wine, breaking on the hit, beat Mayer’s throw to third. Travis Laird then scored him on a squeeze to give the Nittany Lions a one-run advantage.

Pitt answered right back, though. Mayer – who ended the top of the inning with a highlight-reel, over-the-shoulder catch – doubled down the left-field line. But Parise followed by grounding into a double play, and the Panthers couldn’t manage to generate any more offense.

Pitt starter Chad Baker entered the game with a 22.85 ERA, and in the first two innings looked like he might let it get even higher. After Baker walked the leadoff man, Penn State reached base on two sacrifices. Baker would walk two more before the inning was out, allowing two runs in the frame and ending the Nittany Lions’ 16-inning scoreless streak.

He allowed a run in the second, but then held Penn State scoreless for the rest of his six innings. At one point, he retired 10 straight batters. Jordano was happy to see his starter regain his form.

“Chad is a guy that pitched well for us last year,” he said. “He struggled a little bit in the summer and lost some confidence. I was very pleased with his performance. It’s good for his confidence.”

Baker set a career high in both strikeouts and innings pitched. He fanned six Nittany Lions.

Morgan Kielty paced the Panther offense, going 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. His solo homer in the fourth inning got Pitt on the board. In the seventh, he led off with a triple that chased Penn State starter Seth Whitehill. Dan Williams knocked him in with a groundout to pull the Panthers within a single run at 3-2.

Anthony Rossi threw 3.1 innings of relief for the Panthers, giving up just one unearned run despite allowing three hits and walking three.

The Panthers get back to work tonight at 7 p.m. at Trees Field. They will take on St. John’s, and Jordano hopes that the Panthers can stop their losing skid.

“We’re looking forward to this weekend,” he said.