Sports

Pitt Would Not Be Subjected To Explicit Barbs As West Virginia Begged Fans To Watch Baseball Slaughter 

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Getty Image / Ben Queen-Imagn Images


The Backyard (Base)Brawl took place on Tuesday night in Morgantown, West Virginia when the Mountaineers hosted the Pitt Panthers.

The visiting team refused to be subjected to explicit trash talk from the home crowd. The Panthers slaughtered their rival in front of a sold-out stadium.

Pitt won the game, 23-1. It was one of the most lopsided results in series history.

Pitt does not like West Virginia.

That goes for all sports. The rivalry hate is most visibly seen on the football field, but the bad blood runs through the diamond as well.

The baseball series history dates back nearly a century. More than 200 games have been played with the Mountaineers leading 122-93.

The Panthers won the most recent matchup, 10-9, last year. West Virginia was seeking revenge in 2026.

Pitt entered at 24-14 on the season. The Mountaineers were favored given a 27-9 overall mark and a Top 15 ranking nationally.

To build the atmosphere, West Virginia begged students to support in a pregame social media post.

Transportation was offered. The tickets were free. It was set up to be a fun night of trolling a rival.

Pitt boasts a tradition of singing the Neil Diamond classic “Sweet Caroline” at sporting events. It’s often heard at football games. It gets the crowd going!

The song was first unveiled as a rallying cry in 2008. As rivals do, West Virginia quickly adapted its own version of lyrics, swapping out the chorus’s “Bah-bah-bah,” with “Eat S— Pitt.”

The Mountaineer baseball team has fully embraced the tune. Former head coach Randy Mazey’s wife, Amanda, was heard leading the charge one of the last times the foes met in Morgantown.

The scenes for the most recent matchup were expected to be the same. The result couldn’t have been more different!

The Pitt Panthers baseball team annihilated the Mountaineers.

The Panthers kicked the scoring off with a run in the top of the first. They were up 19-0 after their fourth at-bat. The game was called early due to run rule in the seventh.

Pitt won by 22 runs. It smacked five home runs while piling up 13 hits. It was also the beneficiary of 15 walks allowed by West Virginia pitching.

The result was a 23-1 victory.

Pitt refused to allow the crowd to mock its “Sweet Caroline” tradition. Fans were quieted early. There was nothing to cheer about.

With the win, the Panthers grabbed bragging rights for a second straight game.

Each team will now push on in their NCAA Tournament pursuits. Maybe they’ll meet again in the postseason.