After a 3-for-5, 4-RBI day against Pittsburgh on Friday, Nick Wang’s 2024 batting average reached .425 with 16 runs batted in his last five games. But despite Wang continuing his torrid pace, the Eagles weren’t able to keep up with the Pittsburgh offense, falling 12–5 in Friday’s afternoon series opener at Charles L. Cost Field.
The Eagles (9–7, 0–4 Atlantic Coast) remain winless in conference play and handed Pitt (10–5, 1–3) its first conference win of the season with the seven-run loss.
The Eagles had an opportunity to break the game open in the top of the first, loading the bases with a Wang single, and walks drawn by Cameron Leary and Vince Cimini. With two outs, Pitt starter Ryan Andrade regrouped and stranded all three BC runners on base, striking out Parker Landwehr with his second strikeout of the first frame.
BC starter John West threw a scoreless first, sitting down three-straight Panthers in order after giving up a leadoff single to center fielder Dom Popa. Andrade responded with a 1-2-3 inning of his own, adding two more strikeouts for four in two innings.
Pitt broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the second, rallying with two outs. After a walk to Justin Fogel, West struck out Tyler Bischke and Turner Grau flew out to left. With two outs, Ryan Zuckerman singled through the right side, putting runners on first and second, still with two outs.
On a 1-0 count, Pittsburgh shortstop Anthony LaSala hit a chopper to Kyle Wolff, who fielded the grounder in between first and second base. Wolff relayed a throw to West for the putout, but LaSala, on a close play, was called safe, and the inning continued.
The Panthers scored four in the inning after Popa was hit by a pitch, a wild pitch, and a 2-RBI single up the middle by C.J. Funk. After two, Pitt led BC 4–0.
BC responded with a Wang solo home run in the top of the third, driving an elevated fastball over the right field wall for an opposite field shot. West posted a scoreless third, striking out Popa with the bases loaded to avoid any scoring.
The Eagles tied the game in the fourth, as Wang added 3 more RBIs. The bases were loaded with two outs, after Patrick Roche, Sam McNulty, and Cam Caraher all walked. Wang hit a liner into the right field gap, scoring all three and tying the game at 4–4.
Michael Farinelli entered the game for BC in the bottom of the fifth inning. Pitt reclaimed the lead on an RBI double from Grau, who hit a line drive which one-hopped the right-center field wall. Zuckerman singled into left, scoring Grau, but was thrown out at second, on a series of relay throws.
The Panthers added two more in the sixth, with a two-run home run from Jayden Melendez, who scored Luke Cantwell who was on second base after a double. After six innings, Pitt led BC 8–4.
BC stopped a potential Pitt rally behind quality defensive play in the seventh, as Leary threw out Zuckerman trying to score at home on a Popa single. Shortly after, Popa was thrown out at second attempting to steal, on a throw from Landwehr to Cimini. In the top of the eighth, the Eagles scored one run, on a safety squeeze from McNulty but it would be their last run of the game.
Pittsburgh added to its lead in the bottom of the eighth, with a four-run inning. A leadoff double by Funk and walks to Cantwell and Melendez loaded the bases. Fogel scored Funk with a line drive single into right, then Cantwell scored on a balk from BC pitcher Gavin Hasche. Grau added two more runs with a single into right, making it 12–5 Pitt.
The Eagles were retired in order in the top of the ninth, as Pitt relief pitcher Phil Fox secured the win for the Panthers.
