Hempfield grad Matt Tarabek transferring to Pitt
Matt Tarabek is coming home to finish his collegiate baseball career.
The 2016 Hempfield graduate announced on Twitter he’s transferring to Pitt to finish his master’s degree.
Tarabek played three seasons at Fordham in the Atlantic 10 Conference and was off to a good start in his fourth season before the coronavirus pandemic ended college sports this spring.
Beyond thankful for my last four years at Fordham. Excited to continue my baseball career and pursue my Masters at the University of Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/FdRMnl23o0
— Matt Tarabek (@MattTarabek) May 6, 2020
He was batting .340 in 16 games with 18 hits, a double, two home runs, 11 runs scored and 14 RBIs.
“It was a tough way to end this season,” Tarabek said. “We were doing well. Things were clicking with the team, and we were really excited about our chances after winning the conference in 2019 and playing in the West Virginia Regional.
“I made the move to Pitt because I already had a four-year degree from Fordham, and I was accepted in Katz School of Business at Pitt. Another important factor was Pitt was close to home, and my family doesn’t have to make another six-hour trip to New York City.”
Tarabek said he loved his time at Fordham and will miss his friends and teammates.
He was a four-year letterman for Tim Buzzard’s Hempfield baseball team and helped the squad to four consecutive section titles.
He batted .364 his senior season and was named to the Tribune-Review’s Terrific 10.
Injuries hampered the infielder during his freshman season at Fordham, but he still started 29 of 36 games.
He started all 51 games in 2018 as a sophomore when he hit .265 with 30 runs scored, 10 doubles, 27 RBIs and 16 stolen bases.
As a junior in 2019, Tarabek and Jake MacKenzie set the single-season games-played record of 62.
He started every game and hit .250 with 35 runs scored, 15 doubles, 32 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.
Tarabek set career-highs in runs scored, hits (55), doubles, RBIs, walks (21) and stolen bases. He recorded 12 multi-hit games and helped the Rams win the A-10 championship and earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.
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