The Pitt baseball team had a disappointing experience in its first-ever game at PNC Park,… The Pitt baseball team had a disappointing experience in its first-ever game at PNC Park, against hometown rival Duquesne but, by winning a series over Virginia Tech last weekend, the Panthers (35-18 overall, 12-11 Big East) are still capable of sliding into the fourth and final spot for the Big East Championship.

Duquesne 2, Pitt 1

After blowing out the Dukes 14-4 earlier this season at home, it was expected to be an easy win for the Panthers in the first-ever collegiate game held at PNC Park.

Pitt struck first by scoring in the third inning. After Alex Rybczak doubled, an error by Duquesne’s John Reig allowed him to score. Things went well for the Panthers early, but they were unable to produce much more.

Duquesne’s Chad Williams tied the game in the seventh inning with a solo home run to left field. The Dukes added the winning run in the bottom of the ninth, on an infield single.

The Panthers’ offense, which had been struggling, continued to be unproductive. Rybczak’s double was the only extra-base hit of the game and, as a team, Pitt only put together five hits.

Virginia Tech 4, Pitt 3

After the Panthers jumped to a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning, the Hokies quickly responded by scoring three runs of their own in the top of the second.

The Pitt offense struck back to tie the game in the fifth inning by scoring two runs on RBIs by Ben Copeland and Rykaceski. But once again, the Panthers’ offense was held scoreless for the remainder of the game.

Pitt totaled only five hits on the day, continuing a team batting slump. Virginia Tech picked up the winning run in the seventh inning, just before the departure of Nick Evangelista, Pitt’s losing pitcher on the day.

Pitt 14, Virginia Tech 13

Game two of Saturday’s doubleheader was much more exciting as the Panthers’ bats came back to life.

After trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the first inning, Bryan Spamer cut the lead in half with a two-run homer. The Hokies’ lead jumped back to four, at 6-2, in the second inning, but the Panthers tied it up in the third when Spamer hit his second homer of the day, a three-run shot, and Tom Cashman added a solo homer.

The Panthers got their first lead in the fourth, scoring three runs, including an RBI double from Spamer. The lead stretched to 12-7 when Rykaceski ripped a three-run shot in the fifth, and Pitt never looked back.

Overall, in the second game, the Panthers produced 18 hits, including four each by Spamer and Rykaceski. The Pitt offense responded after a serious drought in recent weeks.

Pitt 17, Virginia Tech 16

The series came to an end Sunday after another game filled with high-powered offense from both teams.

The Panthers led by as many as ten, up 13-3 on the Hokies in the fifth inning. But Virginia Tech fought hard and cut the lead to 13-9 in the sixth.

In the ninth, winning 16-11, Pitt blew its lead, allowing five runs to tie the game. But in the bottom of the inning, Cashman hit a solo shot to right field for the game-winning run.

This victory was as dramatic of a finish as the Panthers have seen all year but, more importantly, it keeps their hopes for postseason play alive.

Currently in sixth place in the Big East, the Panthers are still capable of making the conference championships by winning all of their remaining conference games and getting help from other teams in the Big East.

After a doubleheader against Canisius today, Pitt will wrap up regular season play with a three-game series at Connecticut this weekend, hoping for the sweep it needs to keep this season going.