Baseball: Pitt aims to bounce back with single-game set against Akron

Even if Pitt’s baseball team feels uneasy after a tough weekend against the top-ranked team in college baseball, the Panthers should know that the tide can turn in a matter of moments.

After suffering its first three home losses of the season last week, Pitt looks to re-establish its home-field advantage with a mid-week matchup against the University of Akron Zips, who allowed the Panthers to mount a late comeback in their last meeting.

The Panthers (16-15, 8-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) enter the week after dropping two of three games to No. 1-ranked Virginia at Charles L. Cost Field, where Pitt showed it can play with any team in the nation.

Cavalier pitcher Nathan Kirby threw a no-hitter against the Panthers on Friday, but Pitt responded with a walk-off win on Saturday. The Panthers were shut out once more in the series’ rubber match, a 3-0 Virginia win.

Akron (14-14, 6-3 Middle Atlantic Conference) visits Pittsburgh after the Zips also took a series loss in Oxford, Ohio, against Miami University.

This visit marks the second game played this year at Cost Field for the Zips, after Pitt defeated Akron 11-8 on March 19. Jon Danielczyk earned the win for Pitt that day after he threw 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief while the Panthers surmounted an early deficit for the win.

Danielczyk entered with his team trailing 5-3 in the sixth and the bases loaded. With the Zips threatening to extend their lead, the senior from Erie, Pa., struck out Kris Simonton to end Akron’s scoring chance.

After that, the Panthers scored eight unanswered runs to take an 11-5 lead that the Zips could not surmount despite a three-run rally in the top of the ninth inning.

Eric Hess drove in a run that day, and leads Pitt’s offensive attack at the plate with his .302 batting average. From the lead-off spot in the batting order, Stephen Vranka owns team highs with 26 runs and 35 hits to catalyze the lineup.

T.J. Zeuch is a candidate to get the call from the mound as one of head coach Joe Jordano’s consistent starters during mid-week contests. Zeuch has compiled a 1-2 record with a 2.75 earned run average in seven appearances this year, including five starts.

While the freshman from Mason, Ohio, owns a low ERA (with just six of the runs he’s allowed being earned), opposing hitters have scored 12 unearned runs off the righty. In 19 2/3 innings, Zeuch has allowed 18 total runs.

Zeuch’s latest start came last Tuesday against West Virginia when he tossed six innings and allowed four runs — three earned — on nine hits. Zeuch did not factor in the game’s decision after Sam Mersing was touched for a pair of runs and could only record two outs in the seventh inning.

For Akron, junior outfielder Devan Ahart anchors the Zips’ lineup. He leads the team with 35 hits this season and three home runs. Ahart also owns an .891 on-base plus slugging percentage.

Next to Ahart, Joey Havrilak has also clubbed three homers this season and enter’s Tuesday’s contest bating .315.