Baseball is on Fire to Start Season
As Pitt gets ready to wrap up the Sunshine State Classic tomorrow (March 6) against St. Peter’s in Kissimmee, Fl, let’s take a look at what has been a fast and promising start to the 2018 season for the team.
They opened up the season in Kissimmee, FL with the Sunshine State Classic (Part 1) where they went 3-1 defeating Oakland twice by scores of 9-3 and 2-0 and also defeating Toledo by a score of 17-3. Their lone loss in the first four games was against St. Louis by a score of 6-5.
With a record of 3-1 after the first weekend of the season, the Panthers traveled to the Wofford-USC Upstate Tournament in South Carolina where they took 2 of 3 defeating Presbyterian 4-3 and USC Upstate 3-1. The lone loss of the weekend was to Seton Hall by a score of 1-0 with the lone run being scored in the final three innings of what was a really good pitcher’s duel.
The Panthers returned to Kissimmee, FL this past weekend for the Sunshine State Classic (Part 2) and to say things are going well for Pitt would be an understatement. Pitt has won all 4 games this time around with a matchup against St. Peter’s tomorrow morning at 11 am. The Panthers swept the three games against Massachusetts over the weekend by scores of 3-2, 9-0 and 10-5. The fourth win of the weekend came against Butler by a score of 3-0.
Pitt sits at 9-2 which has them tied for 1st place in the ACC Coastal Division with Duke after the first three weekends of the 2018 season. After the St. Peter’s game tomorrow, the Panthers open up ACC play when they travel to Virginia Tech March 9-11 for a three game series.
The leaders of the Pitt offense so far this season are Liam Sabino who is hitting .357 with 2 Doubles, 3 HR’s and 11 RBI, David Yanni who’s hitting .257 with a Double, Home Run and 10 RBI and Nick Banman who is hitting .280 with 3 Doubles, a Home Run and 5 RBI.
On the Pitching Staff, leading the way is Matt Pidich is 2-0 in three starts with a 1.02 ERA, 24 Strikeouts and 3 walks. Other notable pitchers on the staff so far this season are Yaya Chentouf who has made 5 appearances and is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA as he has racked up 8 strikeouts and R.J Freure who’s made 4 appearances and is 2-0 with a 0.77 ERA and has racked up 24 strikeouts and only walked 4.
The start to this season should have fans excited for the start of ACC play this coming weekend as this team appears poised to take the next step toward an ACC Championship and possibly even a berth in the NCAA Tournament. You can purchase single game and flex season tickets here: https://tinyurl.com/yd35tzc7.
If you are thinking about traveling down to Blacksburg, VA next weekend (March 9-11) here is how you can purchase tickets: https://tinyurl.com/yasd25ch or at the gate. Driving Directions to English Field at Virginia Tech can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/ybekxu48.
Don’t want to Drive to Blacksburg? You can take Amtrak down leaving Thursday morning from Pittsburgh at 5:20 am with a transfer in D.C and Roanoke and returns Monday morning at 4:30 am starting in Blacksburg with transfer’s in Roanoke and D.C. The cheapest tickets (w/o any of the discounts available applied) is $466 for 2 people and is a Day Trip both ways.
Looking for a Hotel near English Field in Blacksburg, VA: https://tinyurl.com/ycsey4yr
After what has been an at times stressful and angering Basketball season on both the Men’s and Women’s sides, it’s starting to look like both the Baseball and Softball teams will be giving us something to cheer about this Spring and Summer. Let’s show our support as a fan base for these teams both at home and traveling with them on the road.
