PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – Nine Sycamores made their first career starts for Indiana State Friday as ISU dropped its season opener to Pittsburgh, 11-1 at the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte.
 
Redshirt freshman Dominic Cusumano led the way at the plate for Indiana State with a 3-for-4 day at the plate, including a double. Shortstop Jordan Schaffer delivered a pair of hits in three at bats while Sean Ross and Mitch Barrow tallied the only other Sycamore hits in the game.
 
Ron Washington Jr., Kyle Hess and Riley Wash tallied three RBIs apiece as the Panther offense was clicking from the start.
 
Pittsburgh (1-0) jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first when Washington Jr. hit two-run home run over the wall in center.
 
The Sycamores looked to answer back in the second following a leadoff walk to Miguel Rivera and a double to the gap in right from Dominic Cusumano, but Pitt's Bill Corcoran was able to get out of the inning unscathed as he retired the next three batters he faced.
 
UP went for a pair of two-run home runs in the fourth to extend their lead to 6-0. Hess went deep to right field to make it a 4-0 lead before Wash sent a ball over the wall in center two batters later.
 
Pitt added four more run in the fifth inning on five hits. Washington doubled in a run and Bryce Hulett singled in a pair of Panthers with a single to left field. Wash recorded his second hit and third RBI of the day with a double to left to score the fourth run of the inning.
 
It wasn't until the sixth inning that Indiana State was able to enter the scoring column. Mitch Barrow led off the inning with a single to center field followed by a walk to Miguel Rivera and a single to load the bases by Cusumano. Schaffer drove in the lone Sycamore run on the day with a high chopper to third base to score Barrow.
 
Right-hander Collin Liberatore (0-1) allowed six runs in four innings in his season debut for the Sycamores. He struck out four while issuing four free passes on 71 pitches. Pitt was able to get four hits off the redshirt senior, three of which were home runs.
 
Raine Richter struggled in his ISU debut, giving up three base hits and four earned runs in relief. Cameron Edmonson, Zach Frey, Max Klein and Cameron Holycross combined to allow just one run in the final four innings of play out of the bullpen.
 
UP's Billy Concoran (1-0) earned the victory on the mound for Pitt after tossing five scoreless innings and striking out eight Sycamores. Pitts Chris Gomez and went two innings to bridge the bullpen and allowed just one base hit to the Sycamores.
 
Pittsburgh outhit the Sycamores 12-7 in the ballgame while the Sycamores left 11 runners on base compared to Pitt which left just four runners on.
 
The Sycamores continue play at the Snowbird Classic Saturday with a meeting with Kent State. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. ET with southpaw Tristan Weaver set to make his season debut.
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Football team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.