The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Pittsburgh
Baseball Records 12 Hits in 11-8 Loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday
March 19 | Baseball
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Box Score
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The University of Akron (7-10) baseball team registered 12 total hits and waged a late three-run rally in Wednesday's 11-8 loss at the University of Pittsburgh (9-10) at Charles Cost Field.
Redshirt senior Joe Cochran made his first career start for Akron baseball, and allowed three runs over 4.0 innings with one strikeout. Cochran was given a no-decision in the loss.
Pitt scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the second on an RBI single by Eric Hess. The Zips knotted the game at one run apiece after Kris Simonton scored Matt LaRocca on a groundout to second.
Cochran allowed a solo home run to Pitt's Boo Vazquez in the third, but Akron fought back with a three-run rally in the fourth inning to claim a 4-2 lead. Redshirt senior Brady Stewart scored on a wild pitch by UP reliever Luke Curtis, followed by an RBI single by LaRocca and a run scoring double by freshman James Meeker III. Pitt cut the lead to 4-3 on an RBI single by Stephen Vranka.
Freshman Josh Davis relieved Cochran at the start of the bottom of the fifth, and worked a scoreless inning. UA added a run in the sixth on Meeker's second RBI base hit to lead Pitt, 5-3.
The Panthers tied the contest up with a pair of runs scored in the sixth off Davis, before Evan Jensen came out of the UA bullpen to finish off the one-out situation. Jensen gave up a run in the seventh to give Pitt a 6-5 advantage, finishing the game at 1.2 innings pitched with one run allowed.
Pittsburgh took control of the midweek matchup with a five-run rally in the eighth, going ahead of Akron 11-5 at the end of the scoring effort. Redshirt junior Andrew Fanning was tagged with five earned runs and three extra-base hits, while recording two outs in the eighth. Jon Pusateri came in for a strikeout to end the Panther rally.
Down six runs in the top of the ninth, Joey Havrilak, Devan Ahart and Stewart hit three consecutive singles to load the bases. Sophomore Daulton Mosbarger ripped an RBI double down the left field line, scoring both Ahart and Havrilak.
Stewart scored on a balk by Pittsburgh reliever Adam Dian, but he was able to get Dom Iero and Meeker to strikeout to end the game at the final score of 11-8 in Pitt's favor. Jensen was tagged with the loss, dropping his season record to 0-1.
Meeker led the Akron offense with a career-high three hits along with two RBI and a walk. Stewart and Iero each had two hits apiece, and Iero hit his third double of the season.
Zips baseball will look ahead to the home-opening doubleheader on Friday at 1 p.m., on Lee R. Jackson Field against Mid-American Conference opponent Eastern Michigan University. This weekend's series vs. EMU will be the first MAC games for UA in the 2014 season.
