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Go ahead - it's okay to admit that you didn't expect a three-game baseball series against Wofford would be a big deal. But after Pitt's sweep over Wichita State, the Panthers' baseball team is getting some recognition. Pitt even took home some votes in the most recent NCAA baseball rankings this week.
Pitt and Wofford will play three games this weekend. The first was scheduled for today, but was rained out. A doubleheader has been scheduled for Saturday and the finale on Sunday. Wofford is 3-1 on the season, but their wins over Georgetown, Niagara, and East Tennessee State aren't as impressive as Pitt's sweep over Wichita State. The Shockers hadn't even lost a single February home game under the current head coach, who won 69 in a row, and Pitt stepped in and won three straight.
Absolute worst case scenario for Pitt would be getting swept. They would still be .500 on the season, but after building some momentum and even drawing a bit of interest nationally, the Wichita State sweep would be largely forgotten. Winning one out of three is really the bare minimum that Pitt can afford here and obviously the goal is a series win with at least two game.
The key player for Pitt? Right now, it's outfielder Casey Roche. Roche went 8-14 in the Wichita State series and had two home runs on the way to being named Big East Player of the Week:
"Casey has really developed into a very good baseball player," Jordano said. "He has tremendous tools, he's got a good arm, he runs well. He's not a very big guy, but has tremendous bat speed and plus power for his size. Great athletic tools, and he's worked very hard to become a very good baseball player—this weekend proved that. He'll be on the mound a little bit in some relief, just an all-around solid player."
Dying for baseball? You can actually watch Sunday's game here if you're willing to pay for it - $5.95.
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