Tensions rose in Pitt baseball’s series with Nova

Just saying that Pitt beat Villanova in a baseball series this weekend does the situation no… Just saying that Pitt beat Villanova in a baseball series this weekend does the situation no justice. This was a three-game shouting match with some baseball thrown in on the side.

The normal anxiety about umpires escalated into something much bigger in game one. In the fifth inning, Pitt right fielder Peter Parise cringed as a fastball hurtled toward him. With a loud “crack!” the ball trickled into fair territory. After a moment’s hesitation, everyone reacted at once: Parise took off for first, and the pitcher closed in on the slow-rolling ball, to record the out.

But, as Parise had reached the halfway point to first, the umpire had called a dead ball. He said the ball had struck Parise, which would allow him a free pass to first.

Instantly, the Villanova bench exploded. The coaches called for the umpire to think logically about the situation. Had the fastball hit Parise’s wrist, as the umpire claimed, he would have been in horrible pain. More likely, they said, the ball had struck Parise’s upright bat, which would account for the “crack!” that many heard. The umpire, understanding, reversed the call.

Without hesitation, the Pitt bench had an explosion of its own. Head coach Joe Jordano sprinted to the home plate umpire with the argument that officials cannot reverse calls. The umpire saw the point of this, and sent Parise back to first.

At this, Villanova’s bench erupted once more, furious that the call would stand. After a few minutes, things finally settled down on the field, but a steady amount of obscene language flew toward the umpires for the rest of the game, an eventual 6-4 Panther victory.

Game two understandably began with palpable tension. Immediately, it was clear that this game was only going to be more hostile. Every close pitch elicited angry shouts at the umpire and at the opposing bench. The brewing war of words finally came to a boil in the top of the fifth inning.

After errors led to a run that pushed the score to 7-4 in Villanova’s favor, Wildcat centerfielder Kris Molloy grounded a ball to second base. Justin Cicatello turned and fired to second, where Jim Negrych relayed to first for an apparent double play. However, the umpire called Molloy safe at first.

Jordano flew from the Panthers’ dugout to the first base umpire. After only a few words, Jordano was ejected, not for what he said, but because of a simple difference in height between him and the umpire.

“I’m a little taller than he is,” Jordano admitted. “So when I went to step closer and leaned over to talk to him, the bill of my hat struck him in the hat.”

As any contact with an official results in an automatic ejection, Jordano was tossed.

Tempers only flared more from there. In the top of the eighth inning, Pitt catcher Jeff Stevens threw out Craig Mirsky at third base on a steal attempt. Mirsky and Pitt third baseman Mike Megale got tangled up on the play, and a shoving match ensued that took several moments to settle down.

Things got even worse in the bottom of the eighth. With Pitt trailing 8-5, Negrych hit a two-run home run. But as he touched home, the on-deck batter, Parise, and Wildcat’s catcher Kelly Pickel began yelling at one another. Pitt’s bench, already on the field to congratulate Negrych, all began yelling at and moving toward Pickel.

The Villanova bench, fearing for its catcher, emptied onto the field. After several tense moments, the situation cooled. But at this point, the shouting started anew. Villanova coach Rick Clagett was ejected from the game for yelling one four-letter word too many, and took several steps onto the field toward the umpire before being physically restrained by another Villanova coach.

Tempers peaked at this point, as both sides were sternly warned by the umpiring crew that no more would be tolerated. Angry words aside, the 9-8 Villanova victory ended without any more major incidents. However, the umpires left under police escort.

Game three featured only verbal abuse, but nothing more as all of the players remained relatively calm on the field. Fortunately, barring a playoff matchup, the two teams will not meet again until next season, allowing time for both sides to cool off.