Pittsburgh, Penn. – Oakland will hit the road to battle the Pittsburgh Panthers on Wednesday, May 4 at 3 p.m.
This was originally scheduled to be a two-game series, but the Tuesday, May 3 tilt was canceled due to persistent rain in the area.
Fresh off a series victory over the Milwaukee Panthers from April 29-May 1, Oakland will enter Wednesday at 21-21 (11-8 Horizon League), while Pittsburgh is 24-17 (10-10 Atlantic Coast Conference).
All-time record against Pittsburgh
Wednesday will be the third-ever meeting between these two programs. The Panthers won the first two, a pair of neutral-site contests in Kissimmee, Florida on February 16 and 18, 2018.
Probable starting pitchers
Oakland
Redshirt senior left-hander
Christian Stelling: 14 games (2 starts), 0-1, 6.75 ERA, 1.96 WHIP, .264 OBA, 17.1 IP, 15 BB, 25 SO
Pittsburgh
TBA
Both teams plan to turn Wednesday into a bullpen game, meaning Stelling will likely only work one or two innings, with Pittsburgh's starter expected to do the same.
About the Panthers
Led by 49-year-old, fourth-year skipper Mike Bell, Pittsburgh is currently tied with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets for fourth-place in the ACC Coastal Division.
One of two Panthers to start all 41 of the team's games, left-handed-hitting junior catcher Tatem Levins boasts a .318 batting average, 13 home runs, and 42 RBI, leading the team in all three categories.
Senior first baseman Bryce Hulett, a fellow left-hander hitter, is the other Panther to start every game and has been productive himself, hitting .298 with seven home runs and 26 RBI.
Third baseman Jeffrey Wheler, another senior and Pittsburgh's leadoff man, has been their biggest threat on the base paths, stealing eight bases in 10 attempts. Wheler is a name likely familiar to Oakland fans as he spent four seasons at Youngstown State prior to transferring.
Redshirt sophomore Brady Devereux, senior Baron Stuart, and redshirt senior Dylan Lester, all of whom are right-handers, have been go-to options for Bell out of the bullpen, combining to make 48 appearances. Stuart serves as the Panthers' primary closer, having racked up a team-high five saves.
