Pitt baseball gears up for another big weekend

Pitt's baseball team continues its homestand this weekend with four games against Toledo and Niagara. Last weekend the Panthers beat up on some weaker competition and won four straight games. After an 8-7 loss to West Virginia on Tuesday, Pitt dropped to 9-5 on the season.

The team has a good chance to improve on that record with these four contests. Toledo is 5-9 and Niagara is 3-13, so you'd like to think Pitt has a good chance to grrab three wins here. If baseball's your thing, your in luck. Pitt will play a pair of doubleheaders, facing each team on Friday and Saturday. There will be three total games each day between the three teams - Here's the full schedule.

What can you expect? Besides cold weather, lots of Pitt offense, hopefully against Niagara - they give up just under ten runs per game. Toledo is far more stingy giving up fewer than six runs, so we could see some close games there. If you're looking for a point of reference, Pitt gives up just under five per game. But for what it's worth, Toledo has played a reasonably tough schedule already, having played seven games against Big East and ACC teams South Florida, Georgetown, and Virginia. They could really put up a bit of a fight.

Looking to continue his hot streak will be outfielder Casey Roche. Roche leads the team with five home runs and hit three last weekend. Leading the team in batting average and home runs, he's been getting most of the attention this season. But a couple of other players are posting big power numbers as well. Catcher Elvin Soto is batting .352 with three home runs and leads the team in RBI (19). First baseman/outfielder Steven Shelinski is batting .314 and is second in homers with four despite only 35 at bats.

Pitt wraps up the homestand on Tuesday with a game against Penn State.

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