Backyard Brawl, Baseball Style

 

The Mountaineer baseball team will host its oldest and biggest rival this weekend as No. 24 Pitt comes to town.

The WVU/Pitt baseball rivalry started way back in 1895.  WVU has a 96-78 lead in the series. 

This year, Pitt has established itself as a contender in the league.   The Panthers recently won a series from 12th ranked Louisville.   Last weekend, the Panthers swept Villanova while the Mountaineers were swept by Louisville.

Pitt begins the weekend tied with Louisville for third place in the league.   The Panthers and Cardinals are each a game behind co-leaders Rutgers and Connecticut. 

The Mountaineers, meanwhile, begin the week in 9th place in the league and they are 0-6 at home in league play as they’ve been swept by both Louisville and UConn.  

Pitt is ranked in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Poll.   The Panthers lead the Big East Conference in hitting at .363 and in runs scored with 354.  Pitt has four players hitting over .400 led by junior Joe Leonard at .428.    Pitt’s three likely starting pitchers this weekend are a combined 18-2. 

The last time the teams met, however, WVU set several Big East Conference tournament records by pounding the Panthers 20-8 in Clearwater, Florida.  

Game times this weekend are 6 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 12 p.m. Sunday at WVU’s Hawley Field. 





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