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NORWALK, Conn. Matt Iannazzo gets batters out and wins baseball games. The University of Pittsburgh left-hander isnt the biggest guy and doesnt throw the hardest, but has carved out a record-setting career with the Panthers with instinct, guile and attitude.
Iannazzo set the record for career victories at Pitt last month with his 25th win. He is 4-2 on the season this spring for Pitt, where he is the teams No. 1 starter and leader in victories, again. With a 25-8 career mark, Iannazzo has proven himself as one of the top pitchers in the history of the school.
It has been great pitching for Pitt, he said in a phone interview. Pitt was one of the best schools to recruit me coming out of Norwalk. No Connecticut schools wanted me and I ended up having a good career.
Iannazzos best year at Pitt came in his sophomore year, when he went 11-2 and had the team-low ERA of 3.76 in 13 starts. That was also the year the schools career-win record came into focus.
After my first year it wasnt really on my mind, Iannazzo said. After my sophomore year, it was in my sights but it wasnt in the forefront of my mind. I just concentrated on the process.
Iannazzo has been a winner wherever hes pitched. At Norwalk High, he went 12-11 for his career with a 1.90 ERA and 171 strikeouts in 155 innings pitched. He helped the Bears go 21-4 in his junior year en route to winning the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference championship.
In the summers, Iannazzo has pitched for several teams, including a strong performance last year with the St. Cloud River Bats, a team based in the Northwoods League in Minnesota. He has clearly proven wrong college scouts who didnt think hed succeed in Division I.
Thats something that has always motivated me, Iannazzo said. It puts a chip on your shoulder that you want to prove them wrong. Pitt was the best place for me to come play and do that.
Pitt has had some strong teams during Iannazzos career, but this years team is loaded with underclassmen. Pitt came into Fridays game against UConn with a 14-13 mark, including a 2-5 mark in the Big East. The Panthers had an eight-game home winning streak snapped Thursday by UConn, which handed Iannazzo his second straight loss with an 8-2 victory. Iannazzo surrendered five runs (four earned) seven innings. His other loss came in a 2-0 setback to Cincinnati.
Iannazzo set the record with a 4-2 victory over Hartford, when he pitched eight strong innings with seven strikeouts and just one walk.
When his career at Pitt concludes later this spring, Iannazzo is hopeful of getting a professional opportunity.
I really want to play at the next level, he said. I would love that challenge. Its in the hands of a lot of people more experienced than me, but hopefully good things will happen. I think Ive put together a pretty good body of work. I dont throw 100, but the thing Ive done throughout my career is I find ways to get guys out.
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