Panthers pick up win over Duquesne at PNC Park

Pitt defeated Duquesne 5-1 Wednesday at PNC Park in a game that looked like an exhibition game… Pitt defeated Duquesne 5-1 Wednesday at PNC Park in a game that looked like an exhibition game for the Panthers.

Head coach Joe Jordano used seven pitchers during the game in an attempt to keep all of his pitchers sharp for the three-game series against UConn.

Nick Evangelista started for the Panthers, striking out a batter in the first inning. Mike Bassage recorded the win for Pitt, allowing no runs or hits in the fifth and sixth innings. Bassage (4-0) struck out two batters in his two innings of work.

Jesse Cramer was handed the loss for Duquesne (20-26). He pitched six and one-third innings, while allowing four earned runs on seven hits. Cramer (0-3) struck out two batters and surrendered no walks to the Panthers.

The Panthers (36-14 overall, 16-7 Big East) started the scoring off in the second inning when Tom Cashman and Jim Negrych hit back-to-back doubles to start the inning. Pitt increased its lead to 2-0 after Negrych ran home on a sacrifice fly by Mike Scanzano.

The Panthers tacked on another run in the fourth inning. Cashman hit a triple to deep center field. Negrych sent Cashman home on a single to right field to give Pitt a 3-0 lead.

After a scoreless fifth inning, the Panthers’ bats heated up again in the sixth. Bryan Spamer hit a one-out single to left field. P.J. Hiser reached first on a fielder’s choice and stole second base. Cashman then hit his second double of the game, hard down the rightfield line. Hiser scored on the play giving Pitt the 4-0 lead.

Negrych stepped to the plate next and hit a single down the rightfield line sending Cashman home for the third time in the game.

Negrych finished the game three for three with three RBIs and one run scored. Cashman was three for four with one RBI and three runs scored. All three of his hits were for extra bases.

The two combined for six of the Panthers’ seven hits, leading the Panthers to victory over the Dukes, who won last year’s contest at PNC Park 2-1.

The Dukes’ only run of the game came in the eighth inning when Joe Berletic hit an RBI single with runners on first and third with two outs. The potential late-inning rally was squashed when Randy Vulakovich grounded out to Spamer for the third out.

However, one of the biggest plays in the game came earlier, when the Panthers made a great defensive throw, which set up a play at home plate.

“[That] play in the second inning made the difference,” Jordano said.

Jonathan Kelly hit a single to center field and Andy Gallina was thrown out trying to run home from second base. That kept the score knotted at zero and gave pitcher Andrew Kuss one out to work with.

However, he would load the bases on a walk and a single by Corey Bugno.

Kuss fought back striking out Alex Sharick with the bases loaded and then forced Dan Schwartzbaur to fly out to center field.

It was pitching that led the Panthers on this day. Together, all seven pitchers combined for seven strikeouts and one run on seven hits.

“Defensively, [pitching] has been one of our strengths,” Jordano said.