Jerry DiPaola stories, Page 65
With the help of baseball’s analytics, Tyler Heineman catching on with Pirates
Tyler Heineman claims he was no math whiz at UCLA. The only number that mattered to him as a student-athlete in 2012 was his .332 batting average that helped get him drafted in the eighth round by the Houston Astros. But now he’s a pro, and he’s made 10 starts...
Wearing ACC championship ring, Pat Narduzzi puts first bricks in Pitt’s 2023 recruiting class
Pat Narduzzi can’t say what he thinks about his grand recruiting haul last weekend — NCAA rules keep a lock on his public remarks until players actually sign — but it’s safe to assume he went home and bragged to his wife and children. Only if he swore them to...
Former Penn State, Pitt stars named to College Hall of Fame ballot
Former Penn State football stars Paul Posluszny, Ki-Jana Carter and D.J. Dozier and ex-Pitt quarterback Matt Cavanaugh and running back Craig “Ironhead” Heyward have joined a group of 218 coaches and players whose names have been placed on the ballot for the National Football Foundation’s College Hall of Fame’s Class...
Pitt secures verbal commitments from gaggle of recruits
On a busy recruiting weekend with 14 prospects making official visits to campus, Pitt landed six verbal commitments in an approximate span of 24 hours that ended Saturday night. What does it mean? Before Lakeland, Fla., defensive back Shadarian Harrison triggered the commitment blitz Friday, Pitt’s two-man 2023 recruiting class...
Pitt’s Jeff Capel gets commitment from junior college guard Cashius McNeilly
Pitt coach Jeff Capel added the seventh new player to his roster Friday when junior college shooting guard Cashius McNeilly committed to the Panthers. McNeilly previously committed to Texas A&M in 2019 and TCU before last season, but never played for those schools before enrolling at Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa. During...
Against the odds, Pirates overcome injuries, inexperience, low payroll to sweep Dodgers
Against all odds, the Pirates this week swept a three-game series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles for the first time since 2000. How the heck did that happen? Consider: • The Dodgers’ payroll of $280,839,078 at the start of the season led the majors and was nearly six times...
Pirates defeat Dodgers, 8-4, to complete stunning 3-game sweep in Los Angeles
The Pittsburgh Pirates venturing into Dodger Stadium and winning all three games would have been surprising even if Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker and A.J. Burnett were still pulling the strings. But Wednesday, it was Rodolfo Castro, Mike Chavis, Chase De Jong and several others who led the Pirates to an...
Pirates find ways to survive while 7 players heal injuries
Shortstop Kevin Newman went on the injured list April 27, the first of seven Pittsburgh Pirates regulars or semi-regulars who remained inactive through Wednesday’s game in Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium. The list touches almost every area of the Pirates’ roster: infield, outfield, catcher and the bullpen. It includes: • Newman...
Mitch Keller, 4 relief pitchers lead Pirates to 2nd consecutive victory against Dodgers
For the Pittsburgh Pirates to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers in four of five games — such as they have done this season — everything must be just right. In the Pirates’ second consecutive victory against the National League’s best team – a 5-3 victory Tuesday night in front of...
After 2 relief appearances, Mitch Keller scheduled to start Tuesday night against Dodgers
Mitch Keller will be the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting pitcher Tuesday night in Dodger Stadium, but he won’t necessarily take a regular spot in the rotation. Speaking on his radio show on KDKA-FM, Pirates manager Derek Shelton said Keller’s role on the pitching staff “will continue to stay in flux to...
Pitt bows out of ACC Tournament in semifinal loss to N.C. State
With two outs in the ninth inning of Pitt’s 8-3 loss to N.C. State in an ACC Tournament semifinal game Saturday night, three Panther teammates gathered in the dugout, watching the end of the game, their arms draped over each other’s shoulders. Finally, it ended — the game and, most...
Pirates injuries, critical error at first base lead Padres to victory
Before the first pitch was thrown in the San Diego Padres’ 4-3 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night, the visitors confronted a series of injury problems. The injuries hurt on multiple levels, but the most critical situation emerged in the sixth inning of a game watched by a...
Pirates place Yoshi Tsutsugo on injured list, recall Tucupita Marcano from Double-A Altoona
Yoshi Tsutsugo, who has been the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting first baseman for 27 of the 43 games this season, was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday with a lumbar muscle strain. The move is officially retroactive to Wednesday. Infielder/outfielder Tucupita Marcano, who was acquired last year from the San...
Johnny Majors Classic, 2 prime-time games kick start Pitt’s 2022 season
After finishing the 2021 season with 11 victories and ranked 13th in the final Associated Press poll, Pitt football will get additional opportunities to prove its national relevancy in the first three games of 2022. Pitt will appear in prime time twice, sandwiched around a cross-sectional game against Tennessee that...
Duquesne’s Kevin Easley Jr. pulls name from NBA Draft consideration, returns to school
Duquesne’s rebuilding efforts received a familiar boost Thursday when forward Kevin Easley Jr. withdrew his name from the NBA Draft and decided to return to school. Easley was the Dukes’ leading rebounder last season, with an average of 6.6 per game. He started 26 games, averaged 31.8 minutes per game...
West Virginia snares Rodney Gallagher, but where are the other top area players?
With one complete academic year and his senior football season ahead of him, Laurel Highlands’ Rodney Gallagher — to his credit — did not squeeze every last bit of drama from his high-profile recruitment. The No. 1 recruit in Pennsylvania, per Rivals.com, announced Wednesday he will enroll at West Virginia...
Daniel Vogelbach’s hamstring injury creates void in Pirates’ lineup
Ben Gamel couldn’t remember the most recent time — before the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 10-5 victory against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday — when he was used as a designated hitter. “I couldn’t tell you. I don’t even have a memory of it. No idea. Probably in the minor leagues at...
Pitt upsets No. 7 Louisville, reaches ACC Tournament semifinals
A year ago, Pitt won its first ACC Tournament game before losing a tough decision in the second day of pool play. They didn’t let a similar opportunity slip away Wednesday at Truist Field in Charlotte, N.C. Trailing in the fifth inning for the second day in a row, Pitt...
After suffering wrist injury, Pirates prospect Henry Davis learns to manage pain
When Henry Davis made his Double-A debut in Altoona, he felt some pain in his left wrist, the result of getting hit by a pitch while playing in High-A Greensboro. He hit a home run, anyway. “He was swinging through pain,” Pittsburgh Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said...
Duquesne adds former Miami (Ohio) 1,000-point scorer to its roster
Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot added the ninth member and fourth transfer to his 2022 recruiting class Tuesday when former Miami (Ohio) guard Dae Dae Grant enrolled. Grant (6-foot-2) brings a wealth of experience and impressive production from the Mid-American Conference, where he started every game for Miami over the past...
Pitt baseball ends slump, opens ACC Tournament with victory vs. Georgia TechVideo
In the opener of the ACC Tournament, Pitt’s baseball players proved to their coach — and, especially, to Georgia Tech — that they aren’t ready to put away their uniforms. After losing eight of the final nine games of the regular season, Pitt scored eight runs in the sixth inning...
Dylan Deveney commits to Pitt from Georgia Tech, 2nd transfer tight end in 5 days
Pat Narduzzi’s work seemingly is never done, especially in regards to the NCAA transfer portal. For the second time in five days, Pitt’s coach received a commitment from a transfer tight end when Dylan Deveney, formerly of Georgia Tech, announced his intention to join the Panthers this season. Unlike tight...
Pitt pitchers Matt Gilbertson, Billy Corcoran named All-ACC
For the first time, Pitt baseball can boast two pitchers named All-ACC in one season. Starting pitchers Matt Gilbertson and Billy Corcoran were named second- and third-team selections, respectively, giving coach Mike Bell nine overall in his four years as Pitt’s coach. Gilbertson, who is Pitt’s No. 1 starter, leads...
Pirates manager Derek Shelton’s deployment strategy must yield better execution, results
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at their lowest point of 2022 — 24 defeats, 16 victories — with just about 25% of the season gone. Do the projection: The Pirates are on pace to lose 96 games, which is better than last season’s 101. But if you’re buried that deep, what...
Pirates call up Yerry De Los Santos and Roansy Contreras
The Pittsburgh Pirates are calling up Triple-A pitcher Yerry De Los Santos in hopes of supporting a struggling staff. The news first was reported by MLB Insider Hector Gomez and confirmed by the Tribune-Review. The Pirates are 1-5 in the past seven days, losing three of those games by scores...
