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Colorado Rockies pitcher Blair Calvo, a former Pitt baseball player, throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the eighth inning Tuesday in Phoenix.
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Pitt notebook: Former Panthers pitcher Blair Calvo makes MLB debut

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Pitt notebook: Former Panthers pitcher Blair Calvo makes MLB debut

While Pitt baseball’s season ended last week in the ACC tournament, one former Panther’s season is just getting started at the game’s highest level.

Blair Calvo, who spent two years with the Pitt baseball program, made his major league debut Tuesday for the Colorado Rockies, where he pitched a scoreless 1-2-3 top half of the eighth inning in his team’s 5-1 loss against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The 27-year-old righty wrapped up his perfect, 11-pitch frame by getting Evan Longoria to ground out to second base.

Calvo transferred to Pitt in 2017 but didn’t appear in a contest for the Panthers until the following season due to his recovery from Tommy John surgery. In 13 games with Pitt in 2018, Calvo posted a 1-5 record and 5.24 earned-run average. He then transferred to Flagler College in 2019 where he concluded his collegiate career.

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The Rockies drafted Calvo in the 26th round in the 2019 MLB draft. In four seasons in Colorado’s farm system, Calvo appeared in 98 games where he went 11-9 with a 4.86 ERA. The former Panther struck out 187 batters in 153⅔ innings en route to the big leagues.

Blake Hinson of the Pittsburgh Panthers warms up during a practice session ahead of the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum on March 16, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
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Backyard Brawl back in prime time

Following last year’s dramatic finish, the Backyard Brawl will once again be played in prime time. Pitt athletics announced the kickoff times for three football contests this fall, with the most notable being the Panthers’ road contest at West Virginia on Sept. 16, which will be played at 7:30 p.m. and televised nationally on ABC.

The start times of the first and last home games in Pitt’s 2023 campaign were also announced.

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Pitt will open its season on Sept. 2 at home against Wofford in a contest that will start at 3:30 p.m. and will be televised on the ACC Network. The Panthers’ final home contest of the year, which is against Boston College on Thursday, Nov. 16 will kick off at 7 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.

Last week, Notre Dame announced its home contest against Pitt on Oct. 29 will kick off at 3:30 p.m. and will be aired on NBC.

Pitt softball player earns Gold Glove

Pitt softball first baseman Sarah Seamans was one of nine players to be named a 2023 Rawlings Gold Glove Award recipient, presented by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). The award winners were announced Wednesday evening by Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. during a news conference at the NCAA Women's College World Series.

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The prestigious Rawlings Gold Glove Award recognizes the top nine defensive players in the country at their respective positions. Seamans is the first Pitt softball player to earn a Gold Glove in just the second year the award has been presented to collegiate softball players.

Seamans, a fifth-year graduate student, started all 49 games at first base for the Panthers. The Union grad earned the award by recording a .997 fielding percentage while committing just one error in 318 total chances. Seamans notched 300 putouts – the third-most in the ACC – with 17 assists and turned 16 double plays.

Fairbanks, Fisher lead USA to gold

Two members of the Pitt women’s volleyball program started the week by winning their country a gold medal. Panthers standout Rachel Fairbanks, along with her head coach Dan Fisher, were a part of the United States U-21 gold medal winning team at the NORCECA Pan American Cup in Nogales, Mexico.

Team USA earned its first-place finish with a 3-0 win over Mexico on Sunday. The United States went a perfect 5-0 in the tournament, not dropping a single set. Fairbanks, who earned All-American honors last fall for the Panthers, is set to enter her junior season.

Pitt women’s basketball adds transfer

Pitt women's basketball coach Tory Verdi announced the signing of Rapuluchi Ayodele. Ayodele has two years of eligibility remaining.

Ayodele, a 6-foot-1 forward, comes to Pitt after three successful campaigns at the junior college level as she played for Independence Community College, Eastern Florida State College and most recently at Indian River State College. Across her three seasons (89 games), Ayodele averaged a double-double with 12.9 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. She accumulated 1,145 career points and 1,164 career rebounds.

Noah Hiles: nhiles@post-gazette.com and Twitter @_NoahHiles. Kevin Murphy contributed to this report.

First Published: June 1, 2023, 9:30 a.m.

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Colorado Rockies pitcher Blair Calvo, a former Pitt baseball player, throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the eighth inning Tuesday in Phoenix.  (Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press)
Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press
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