The Pitt baseball team rode the arm of pitcher Nick Evangelista and the bat of… The Pitt baseball team rode the arm of pitcher Nick Evangelista and the bat of outfielder Ben Copeland to a pair of wins on Saturday as it took its first conference series two games to one from Seton Hall.

Pitt 2, Seton Hall 1

Evangelista, a junior, gave up five hits, one run and struck out 11 in just 5 2/3 innings of work as the Panthers squeaked out a one-run victory over the Pirates in both teams’ first conference game of the year.

Evangelista, who improved his record to 5-1 in the victory, has shown excellent control this season as he has struck out 37 hitters and walked only five in just more than 41 innings of work. He now ranks among the top three in the Big East in almost every pitching category.

“Obviously, with losing [P.J.] Hiser for the season, Nick had to step up one notch and he’s done that,” Pitt head coach Joe Jordano said. “He’s been pitching solid all year for us.”

Pitt scored first when junior first baseman Tom Cashman led off the second inning with his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot over the right field wall.

Seton Hall answered in the very next inning as its first batter, designated hitter Chris Fulda, homered to knot the score at one run apiece.

After center fielder Copeland started the inning with a leadoff single, the Panthers caught a pair of lucky breaks. Pirates pitcher Tim Sabo threw two wild pitches to the next batter, left fielder Stuart Rykaceski, allowing Copeland to take both second and third. Rykaceski then singled, allowing Copeland to score the winning run.

Jeff Barnyak relieved Evangelista and pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings to earn his first save and seal the win for the Panthers.

Pitt 8, Seton Hall 7

Shortstop Bryan Spamer had two hits and drove in two runs in the second game of the doubleheader, but it was again Copeland who proved to be the difference on offense.

Copeland’s third inning single drove in Michael Bell to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.

Though Seton Hall tied the game in the fifth when right fielder Matt Cuttruff’s sacrifice fly scored second baseman Anthony Seratelli, Copeland would lead the Pitt response in the bottom of the inning.

After second baseman Scott Folmar singled in a run, Copeland ripped a two-run double to center. He later scored on a single by Spamer.

Copeland would pick up his fourth RBI of the game in the eighth inning when his sacrifice fly to center scored catcher Mike Zambriczki.

“We started [Copeland] lower in the lineup, but he’s done such a great job that we put him in the leadoff spot,” Jordano said. “He’s not afraid.”

The Panthers’ fifth inning rally gave them a 5-1 lead, but Seton Hall wasn’t done. Pitt starter Don Rhoten found himself in a sixth inning jam – runners on the corners and no outs – before giving up an RBI single to first baseman Tim Pahuta. Jordano then pulled Rhoten in favor of right-hander Jimmy Blue, who gave up an RBI single to Seratelli before getting out of the inning.

The Pirates tied the game at 5-5 in the seventh, scoring one run off both Blue and his replacement, Brian Jacobsen.

“One of the strengths that we have is our [pitching] depth,” Jordano said. “When you’re able to get a new look on the mound and preserve for tomorrow as well, we’re going to do it.”

The Panthers tacked on three more runs, one in the seventh and two in the eighth, before staving off a ninth inning Seton Hall rally and taking the game 8-7. Barnyak pitched the final 2/3 of an inning to record his second save of the day.

The win was the Panthers’ eighth straight and 15th in their last 16 games.

Seton Hall 6, Pitt 5

Third baseman Josh Schuck and shortstop Santiago Chi both drove in two runs and pitcher Mark Irwin allowed only two hits in six innings as the Pirates took the third and final game of the series by a score of 6-5.

Scoring started in the top of the fifth when Seton Hall (6-9 overall, 1-2 Big East) put up a four-run inning, culminating with a two-run single by Schuck.

Pitt loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the inning but failed to get a run on the board as Irwin got Cashman to strike out swinging. Irwin struck out nine batters on the day and gave up only one run, but walked six before being relieved.

The Panthers cut the Seton Hall lead to one run in the seventh inning, but the Pirates scored twice in the top of the eighth on Chi’s bases-clearing triple.

Pitt got two more runs when Alex Rybczak and Folmar scored on a Rykaceski double to deep left field, but it would be too little too late and Seton Hall hung on to notch its first Big East victory of the season.

The two victories on the weekend improve Pitt’s record to 17-5 overall and 2-1 in the conference. The Panthers will close out their 10-game homestand this week with games against Duquesne today and Xavier on Wednesday. Both games are scheduled for 3 p.m. at Trees Field.