Pitt loses two of three to UConn to end the year

The baseball team entered the weekend holding on to a slim playoff chance, but a series loss… The baseball team entered the weekend holding on to a slim playoff chance, but a series loss to Connecticut dashed Pitt’s playoff hopes for good. After the Panthers May 13 home game against Akron was cancelled, the Panthers traveled to Storrs, Conn. to take on the Huskies. The team split a doubleheader on Saturday and dropped the final game of the season on Sunday.

Pitt finished the year 36-20 overall ? the second straight year the Panthers have won 36 games ? and 13-13 in the Big East. The Huskies finished the year 24-23 overall and 10-15 in the conference.

UConn 3, Pitt 0

Nick Tucci pitched a complete game shutout, allowing just four hits over seven innings and striking out two.

The Huskies drew first blood in their half of the fourth inning. After leading off the inning with a double, Bryan Maler scored on a sacrifice fly by Mike Mocerino.

UConn added two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth with a little help from an error by second baseman Scott Folmar. Folmar bobbled a ground ball hit by David Tokarz, allowing Maler and Mike Leonard to score.

Mike Scanzano led Pitt with two hits, and Nick Evangelista pitched six innings, allowing three runs on six hits.

Pitt 3, UConn 1

The teams started the game by trading runs in the first inning.

After Ben Copeland scored on a sacrifice fly by Tom Cashman in the top of the first, the Huskies responded when Maler drew a walk, forcing home Tony Mallozzi.

Pitt went back on top, 3-1, in the fifth inning, following RBIs by Copeland and Stuart Rykaceski. Michael Bell led the Panthers with two hits.

After giving up the early run, Don Rhoten held the Huskies scoreless for 6 2/3 innings, striking out six and allowing just four hits. Rhoten also picked up the win, his fourth on the season.

Adam Luckette and Brian Jacobson pitched the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit.

Tim Norton picked up the loss for UConn.

UConn 10, Pitt 4

Pittsburgh got off to a good start in the first inning when Rykaceski reached first base on an error, stole second and later scored after Huskies’ catcher Leonard made two throwing errors.

The Huskies responded by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the lead. UConn’s Peter Soteropoulos hit a two-run single and then scored after Brett Burnham singled to bring him home.

In the next inning, Rykaceski tied the game at three with one swing of the bat. His two-run home run was just his second of the year, but came at a good time for the Panthers.

Alex Rybczak’s RBI in the top of the seventh gave Pitt the lead, 4-3, but after that, the Huskies never looked back. They scored four runs in the bottom of the inning and another three in the eighth en route to a 10-4 victory.

Jimmy Blue, who relieved starter T.J. Gornati, was the losing pitcher for the day. The Huskies’ relief pitcher Bob Barton picked up the win.

Despite missing the Big East Tournament for the fourth consecutive season, the Panthers still have a lot to look back on and be proud of. With 36 wins in each of the last two seasons, Pitt has won more games in the past two years than in any previous two-year span.

Rykaceski tied the team record for the most doubles in a season, with 18, while junior shortstop Bryan Spamer broke the single-season record for walks with 41.

The Panthers are losing a solid core of seniors this off-season, but still have a good group of underclassmen returning.

Sports editor Joe Marchilena contributed to this story.