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The Pitt News T h e in de p e n d e n t st ude nt ne w spap e r of t he University of Pittsburgh

Zeuch follows in Port Authority father’s footsteps. pushes flat fare Page 8 forward. Page 3 April 22nd, 2016 | Issue 149| Volume 106

Hillary Clinton will return to Pittsburgh Danni Zhou Staff Writer

Looking to influence Pennsylvania voters before the upcoming primary, Hillary Clinton will make a return visit to Pittsburgh this Friday. Clinton’s campaign has not announced any further details about when and where she will speak. The presidential hopeful last visited Pittsburgh after her rally at Carnegie Mellon University April 7, where she discussed her plans to control climate change, offer affordable education and invest in infrastructure. On Wednesday, Bill Clinton visited Pitt-Johnstown’s campus, and held a rally for Hillary at the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers Building in South Side. Hillary Clinton will follow Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders, who visited Pittsburgh March 31, and Republican candidates Donald Trump and John Kasich, who both made stops in Pittsburgh this month. Clinton’s visit comes just five days before the Pennsylvania primary election April 26. After the April 19 New York primary, Clinton is leading the polls with 1,446 delegates. A Democratic candidate needs 2,383 delegates to win the nomination.

Pitt students purchases fresh produce at farmer’s market outside of the Union. Alex Nally STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

PITT TONIGHT PERFORMS SEASON FINALE

Noah Coco Staff Writer

Most Pitt students remember Mr. McFeely from “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” as the delivery man, but few expected to see him sink his first shot in “Pitt Tonight Pong” Thursday night. David Newell, the actor who portrayed Mr. McFeely, appeared on Pitt Tonight’s fifth and final episode at 8 p.m. in the Charity Randall Theater on Thursday. About 300 people showed up to watch the student-produced latenight show finish its first season. “I grew up in Pittsburgh, and seeing Mr. McFeely was really great,” said Cara Lyons, a sophomore religious studies major. “I thought it was a great way to engage with the community.” Along with Newell, a number of notable locals made guest appearances on the finale, including Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto and YouTube stars Chris Preksta and Curt Wootton — creators of the popular “Pittsburgh Dad” videos.

Before the show — which was free for Pitt students and $1 for everyone else — a line of fans wrapped around the entrance of the theater and down Forbes Avenue to Bigelow Boulevard, eagerly awaiting the last Pitt Tonight episode of the school year. Junior political science and film studies major Jesse Irwin originally introduced the idea of hosting a Pitt version of “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” to Chancellor Patrick Gallagher a year ago. “I went to him backstage [at an INTEL convention] and said to him, ‘Chancellor Gallagher, I would really love to do this idea, I think it would be great,’” Irwin said. “‘We have the kids who really want to do it, and I think it would be a great way to bring the school together.’” Gallagher made a guest appearance on Pitt Tonight’s first show in December. Since then, Irwin and his cast — including his on-stage sidekick, Raghav Sharma — have followed the standard late-night sequence: monologue, followed by a desk piece, an interview and then performances. Jimmy Fallon added sketch and game com-

ponents to the basic formula, and “that’s the fun model,” Irwin said. After starting from scratch, the show has accumulated a team of more than 70 students, complete with a marketing team, a house band called “Allies of the Boulevard,” a stage crew and more than 30 writers. Mason Lazarcheff, co-executive producer, said its guests this year — ranging from Chancellor Patrick Gallagher to Market Central cashier Ophelia Ferguson — are meant to embody the city. “The goal in the end is to incorporate as many Pittsburgh people around the area and even on the national scale,” Lazarcheff, a senior film studies major said. Set on the stage, backed by the red curtain and bright lights of the Charity Randall Theater, the show’s frenetic finale drew in some of the most prominent members of the Pittsburgh community, new and old, and concluded the show’s long process of creative development. Irwin began the night by relaying the latest See Pitt Tonight on page 5


News

The Pitt News Editor-in-Chief DANIELLE FOX

PITT COLLECTS DRUGS FOR DISPOSAL Lauren Rosenblatt

Assistant News Editor Pitt pharmacy students reversed their traditional roles Thursday and collected drugs rather than distributing them. Aiming to reduce drug misuse, members of Generation Rx — a student group within the American Pharmacists Association — collected unwanted and unused drugs from Pitt students, faculty and staff from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the University Pharmacy. Generation Rx partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Student Affairs and Student Health Service to host the biannual Drug Take-Back Day. The groups were promoting a “spring cleaning” of over-the-counter drugs and prescription medications, according to organizer Justin Saver. After the collection, the pharmacy students brought the discarded pills to the DEA so it could incinerate them. “Everybody purchases meds, and this allows us to dispose of any leftovers in a safe and environmentally conscious way,” said Marian Vanek, Pitt’s director of Student Health Service, “No questions asked.” Pitt’s event is part of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, which is April 30 this year, but the University moved the day up in order to accommodate finals. UPMC is hosting its own Drug Take-Back Day on Friday. Although this is the fourth year Student Health Service has hosted a Drug Take-Back Day, and the third year

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Managing Editor HARRISON KAMINSKY

editor@pittnews.com

manager@pittnews.com

News Editor DALE SHOEMAKER

Generation Rx has been involved, Pitt’s School of Pharmacy has been working throughout the year to protect against overdose. In March, the pharmacy school established the Pennsylvania Heroin Overdose Prevention Technical Assistance Center to develop strategies for reducing overdose in Allegheny County and surrounding neighborhoods. Pennsylvania is among the top 10 states with the highest opioid use and overdose rate, according to OverdoseFreePA, a Pitt pharmacy school website. In Allegheny County, the number of fatal overdoses per year increased from 109 in 2000 to 393 in 2015. There were 1,760 total overdose deaths in Allegheny County from 2008 to 2015, according to the Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center — a coalition of Pitt’s Center for Urban and Social Research, the city of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Of the 226 deaths in 2015, 21 were victims between the ages of 18 and 25. In this school year, The Pitt News has reported on two student overdoses. Guy Johnson, Pitt police community relations officer, said the Pitt police do not get many calls for overdoses. Last year, Pitt police officers began carrying Naloxone, an antidote to opioids, as an emergency precaution, but have only used the antidote once. Nevertheless, Johnson said Pitt police take any drug or alcohol offense seriously.

Opinions Editor MATT MORET

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tpnopinions@pittnews.com

Sports Editor DAN SOSTEK

Culture Editor JACK TRAINOR

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Visual Editor KATE KOENIG

Layout Editor EMILY HOWER

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Online Editor PETER LOREI

Copy Chief MICHELLE REAGLE

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Zoë Hannah | Assistant News Editor Lauren Rosenblatt | Assistant News Editor Marlo Safi | Assistant Opinions Editor Elizabeth Lepro | Assistant Sports Editor Jeff Ahearn | Assistant Visual Editor Danah Bialoruski | Assistant Layout Editor Eva Fine | Multimedia Editor Amy Beaudine | Social Media Editor

Chris Puzia | Assistant Copy Chief Copy Staff Bridget Montgomery Anjuli Das Sierra Smith Sydney Mengel Sarah Choflet Kelsey Hunter

Matthew Maelli Kyleen Pickering Casey Talay Corey Forman Alex Stryker Maria Castello

Editorial Policies Single copies of The Pitt News are free and available at newsstands around campus. Additional copies can be purchased with permission of the editor-in-chief for $.50 each. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the students, faculty or University administration. Opinions expressed in columns, cartoons and letters are not necessarily those of The Pitt News. Any letter in tended for publication must be addressed to the editor, be no more than 250 words and include the writer’s name, phone number and University affiliation, if any. Letters may be sent via e-mail to letters@pittnews.com. The Pitt News reserves the right to edit any and all letters. In the event of multiple replies to an issue, The Pitt News may print one letter that represents the majority of responses. Unsigned editorials are a majority opinion of the Editorial Board, listed to the left. The Pitt News is an independent, student-written and

student-managed newspaper for the Oakland campus of the University of Pittsburgh. It is published Monday through Friday during the regular school year and Wednesdays during the summer. Complaints concerning coverage by The Pitt News, after first being brought to the editors, may be referred to the Community Relations Committee, Pitt News Advisory Board, c/o student media adviser, 435 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260. The editor-in-chief has the final authority on editorial matters and cannot be censored, according to state and federal law. The editor-in-chief is selected by The Pitt News Advisory Board, which includes University staff, faculty and students, as well as journalism professionals. The business and editorial offices of The Pitt News are located at 434 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260.

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Inside Sales Executive Marissa Altemus Victoria Hetrick Arianna Taddei

See Drug Take Back on page 4

April 22, 2016

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PORT AUTHORITY TO VOTE ON FLAT FARE Alexa Bakalarski Staff Writer

Based on approval from a Port Authority committee Thursday, the Port Authority Board of Directors will vote next week on system-wide changes to the bus system. The full board is scheduled to vote April 29 about instituting a flat fare of $2.50 for ConnectCard users and $2.75 for riders who pay with cash. The board will also vote on changing the system so that the system’s 215,000 daily riders always pay when they board the bus, regardless of which direction they’re going. If the board approves the changes, they will take effect January 2017. Currently, Port Authority uses a twotier system that charges $2.50 for rides in one zone and $3.75 for rides in two zones. The new fare system would charge a flat rate of $2.50 for riders with ConnectCards — the automated payment system that riders use to pay for trips.

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Changes to the Port Authority bus system might come in 2017. The change would encourage riders to use ConnectCards by increasing the fare for cash-paying riders, according to Port Authority spokesperson Adam Brandolph. He said riders with ConnectCards board buses about three to five times faster. “It may only be a few seconds extra per person, but on a bus with 85 people — and

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throughout the day — that time can add up,” Brandolph said in an email. “Doing so will make the system more efficient. We also hope to improve our on-time rates this way.” With the new system, transfers, which allow users to ride a connecting bus, would still cost $1 with a ConnectCard, and a

April 22, 2016

transfer without a card would cost $2.75. Port Authority proposed the new fare system after conducting several rider surveys in 2014 and 2015. “Time and time again, Port Authority heard that riders wanted a simpler, easierto-use system that gave them and others an incentive to use a ConnectCard,” Brandolph said. Port Authority estimates the lower fare will result in a loss of about $4.5 million in revenue in its first year, but expects to make up the difference through an increase in ridership. Other changes up for a vote include making the Pittsburgh Light Rail cashless by using ConnectCards or their disposable counterpart, ConnecTix. This would take effect in the second half of 2017. Port Authority will also include eliminating free bus rides in the Golden Triangle, the Downtown Pittsburgh area between the Allegheny and Monongahela River.

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Drug Take Back, pg. 2 “[Drugs and alcohol] all play a role in what may cause you to get into criminal aspect of things and may get in the way of what you come here for: a degree,” Johnson said. Although Saver said the antidote is a good step, he is hoping to produce more efforts to reduce drug overdose on campus in the coming year. “It’s a Band-Aid for a larger problem. That person is addicted,” Saver

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said. “We have to be able to catch it at the level of prescribing.” According to a 2015 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, pharmacies fill an average of 14.8 individual retail prescriptions each year for people ages 19 to 64 in Pennsylvania. The national yearly average is 12.6 prescriptions per person. Saver said he is most worried about student use of amphetamine — a nervous system stimulant. Saver said he, and other students working at pharmacies on or near campus, see am-

phetamines “being distributed left and right.” “It’s an issue that gets noticed around the country,” Saver said. “We used to just think of it as a problem for junkies, but for an average student, it’s becoming a problem.” According to Saver, Generation Rx has collected 635 pounds of drugs in the past two years combined. This year, the group collected 235.7 pounds. Saver said people bring medicines that they no longer need, caused unpleasant side effects or expired. In some

April 22, 2016

cases, people want to get rid of medications from relatives that have passed away. Saver said it is important to get rid of excess drugs to protect children in the house from getting them, discourage theft of such drugs, eliminate the potential for drug misuse and prevent contamination of wastewater and drinking water from the improper disposal of drugs. Saver said he would like to introduce a program for first-year students during orientation — similar to AlcoholEdu — devoted to drug use. Currently, the Counseling Center, within the Wellness Center offers counseling for students struggling with addiction, but Vanek said they are likely to refer a student to a rehabilitation center and help them through that process. “I don’t think we have anywhere near the problem some schools have,” Vanek said. “But to say we don’t have any problem is unrealistic.”

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Pitt Tonight, pg. 1 news headlines and stories. He went on with a bit about the reasons humans first became monogamous. Before it was to avoid STDs, “the previous notion was that humans became monogamous to avoid disappointing multiple partners,” Irwin joked. After the monologue, Irwin introduced the audience to a new segment titled “Apologies to My Professors,” in which he delivered puns and punch lines from students to their professors like “ I’m sorry, Dr. Corman, when your fly was down, I should have just let it go rather than trying to fix it for you.” The show also featured groups from across Pitt’s campus, including the dance group Controlled Chaos backed by the a cappella group CFlat Run and a closing performance with The Pitt Ballet Club dancing along to local Pitt band, The Naughties. Members of the Pitt Tonight cast and crew, reflecting on their favorite moments from throughout the season, pointed to an interview in the fourth episode as particularly memorable. On April 11, the program featured Pittsburgh-based Forensic Pathologist Cyril Wecht. Wecht was a natural on stage, members of the cast said. He used two Pitt Tonight writers to show the audience how the “single bullet theory” of JFK’s assassination couldn’t have been possible. He then proceeded to humorously demonstrate on Irwin, the still-living host, the process of an autopsy with markers. “It was really funny and really hard trying to make myself not laugh so we wouldn’t pick that up on the audio while I was rolling the camera,” Lazarcheff said. Earlier in the season, Pitt Tonight produced a video challenging Jimmy Fallon to a Primanti Bros. sandwich eating contest in an effort to make it onto “The Tonight Show.” Their video went viral and launched a social media campaign that reached at least a quarter of a million people. In the end, “The Tonight Show” production crew denied Pitt Tonight’s request but sent the cast members an email lauding their accomplishments both with the campaign and the show. Despite the show’s success, the crew does not have a theater or studio to claim as its own. Film studies students rented all of the equipment to use on a show-by-show basis. Looking back, Will Sharples, a junior marketing and film studies major and co-executive producer for the show, said he is humbled to think at what the Pitt Tonight crew has created. “It was chaotic, hectic, but also the single greatest thing I’ve done in my life,” he said. The entire production crew hopes to continue this show beyond its first year and turn it into a staple of the Pitt cultural scene. “Everybody’s goal is for this to be the next big cultural phenomenon at Pitt,” said Sharples.

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April 22, 2016

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Opinions

column

from the editorial board

Casual Friday Snakes on a Desk An elementary school in Mississippi was rattled with surprise when a snake fell from a classroom ceiling during a lesson. The harmless, gray rat snake almost hit the teacher but landed on the desk instead.. Unfortunately, the snake was unable to slither its way out of this one. It was then expelled and received the death penalty with a snake repellent that ended its life. The children thought it was a serious punishment for simply wanting to learn geometry. “That’s one way to snake things up a bit,” one child said. Emergency Mowing Technician An EMT in California had to make some unplanned cuts along the way to saving an 87-year-old man. The unidentified man passed out in his yard while mowing the lawn when the EMT came to the rescue. After the man refused to go to the hospital, a neighbor and his wife brought him inside to rest. To the wife’s surprise, she saw the same EMT finishing up the lawn-mowing job. Not being able to operate on the man, clearly the lawn was his next best option. It may not be as cutting edge an operation, but it sufficed. Luckily for the fainting grass-cutter, he got the best of both lawns that day. I see London, I see France You can’t have any reservations when eating out at a new restaurant coming to London this summer. The restaurant, which allows people to eat their meals completely naked, will be dropping its cloak very soon. The Bunyadi will offer its customers an entirely natural eating experience, where everything will be fresh, unadulterated and liberated from the trappings of modern life — no phones, no electric lights and, of course, no clothing. It could be an unappetizing

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experience, depending on who you dine with. But fret not, there will be a clothing section for those not willing to bare it all. The restaurant already has a waiting list of 10,000 people, most of them are eager to skip some bases on a first date. You can order sausages, dressed-down salads and all kinds of Instagram-worthy meals. It’s sure to give a whole new meaning to naked lunch. Beggin’ Bacon A 36-year-old man was thinkin’ Arby’s when he decided to jump over the fast-food chain’s counter and demand food from its employees. The man claimed he was from a time four years in the future and that in the future, rushing the counter was the norm for getting food. He ran away with some bacon and chicken clutched to his side and was seen pigging out before he booked it to kick the car of a passerby. It wasn’t long before the hungry visitor from the future had to “meat” the strong arm of the law. He was arrested, but was it worth it? If you’re going to jump the counter at Arby’s, at least get some curly fries. Détachable Oui Oui It looks like Hercules will be getting a good ol’ beheading — but one slightly more south. French locals could not get enough of Hercules’ statue, given the reports that people had been stealing his penis over the years by breaking it off and running away with it. Mayor Yves Foulon resolved the ongoing issue by keeping Hercules privates private with a prosthetic removable penis made for ceremonies and special events. Some may see this as emasculating, but at least he doesn’t have to worry about getting it up for special occasions.

French hijab ban a cover for prejudice Kirsten Wong Columnist

When you deny a religious covering, you are also denying religious liberty. Student activists in France made a bold statement Wednesday by wearing headscarves and declaring it Hijab Day at one of France’s top universities, the Paris Institute of Political Studies. The social project was meant to show solidarity with Muslim women who choose to wear the religious covering, and to help students better understand the experiences those women face on a daily basis. The hijab, a religious symbol for Muslim women, is often met with stigmatization and negative connotation in the secular country. Muslim women in foreign countries have repeatedly been made to feel like outsiders when people assume, based on their clothing, that they are oppressed or violent. The activists were responding to a suggestion from Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who said last week that headscarves should be banned from universities. This isn’t the first time France has called for a ban on religious coverings — former President Nicholas Sarkozy banned the full-face Muslim veil from all public places in 2011. Freedom of religion is protected under the French law known as laïcité. The law separates church and state and asserts that religion remain out of the public sphere. Over the last decade, the law has been pushing its limits by passing policies that target Muslims and keep them from expressing their

April 22, 2016

religion through prayer or by wearing burqas. Despite having the largest Muslim population in Europe, France has failed to treat all religions equally and fairly address the rights of a major religious group. France’s prohibitive measures towards hijabs demonstrate a lack of respect for Muslim culture, religious freedom and free will. Wearing a hijab in a Western country is already a misconstrued gesture that leads to exclusion and harsh treatment — banning them at universities would completely deny access to a group of people simply for expressing their beliefs. Students wearing a headcover for one day cannot truly understand the day-to-day pressures to conform that Muslim women face. But their efforts to stand with Muslim women in their right to choose what they wear sends a strong message of solidarity and cultural acceptance. At a time when many Muslims are facing blame for terrorist attacks they did not commit, these activists’ efforts speak volumes about the importance of unification. The persistent efforts by the French government to get rid of all public acknowledgement of religion has become an infringement on basic individual rights. Allowing women to wear hijabs does not mean any institution is endorsing the religion — it marginalizes Muslim communities even See Wong on page 7

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dearest The Pitt News, This is my breakup letter. I know it’s tough to hear, but after five years, it’s time for me to graduate, move on to pastures bereft of my beloved daily school newspaper. I think back to the first time I picked you up — you helped me, day one, to learn about clubs and bus lines, where to eat and what to watch. In February, you returned to my hands in a thick, juicy Sex Edition. Through bomb threat updates and awardwinning exposés about Student Government Board drop outs, you kept me up to the minute about scandals and celebrations on campus. Do you remember when you helped me find my first apartment? Or when you let me sneak onto your cover three times? Oh, for more days to laugh together about weird layouts, mislabeled photos and completely duplicated pages! Never for-

get, I love you just as much for your brain as for your quirks. Quirks that inspired my own Pittiful News work. If not for your two-day tale of a Cathedral Climber, I’d never have had the courage to share my two-broken-escalator journey as a Posvar Prowler. But most of all, my terrific TPN, thank you for letting me witness your beautiful transformations. Maybe the rubes missed your face-lifts, both print and digital, but my do you clean up. You showed daring bravery, surpassing the closed-minded style guides by affirming the pronouns of my transgender friends. And yet, the diploma looms, and our time becomes but a fleeting moment in your storied history. As many savored issues yellow in a brimming canvas bag, so shall my memories of the ink on paper that made me glad. B.D. Wahlberg

Wong, pg. 6 further in a blinded attempt to appear neutral. These types of statements only divide people at a time when they desperately need to be unified. Due to the recent terror attacks in Paris and Brussels, anti-Muslim sentiment in western Europe is increasing. According to Tell MAMA, an NGO that tracks hate crimes against Muslims, the rate of hate crimes increased threefold in the UK after the Paris attacks in 2015. If it wants to defeat radical jihadists, France needs to collaborate with its Muslim allies in a united front. Anti-Muslim sentiment only reinforces the “us” versus “them” mentality, when in reality, both the secular government and the majority of non-violent Muslims are fighting the same fight against acts of terrorism. By indirectly excluding Muslims from public institutions and spurring a useless controversial debate, France is not helping to bridge its people to-

gether, it’s further separating them. The students on Wednesday were challenging these types of dangerous policies by wearing hijabs and refusing to allow fear to alienate people based on their religions. Instead of pushing Muslims away, it would best serve France’s interest to treat its Muslim citizens equally and not blame their religion for disrupting the country’s secular values. A woman’s clothing choice should not be politicized, especially when there is so much more at stake.

The Pitt News SuDoku 4/22/16 courtesy of dailysudoku.com

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April 22, 2016

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Sports LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

In 1979, the Kansas City Royals drafted pitcher Tim Zeuch. In 2013, the Royals sought his son, T.J. But the younger Zeuch chose to make a name for himself at Pitt instead.

Panthers pitcher T.J. Zeuch is undefeated in the 2016 season. Jeff Ahearn ASSISTANT VISUAL EDITOR

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Club tennis reflects on season. See online Steve Rotstein Staff Writer

It was the bottom of the eighth inning March 7, 2015, in Cary, North Carolina, and an upset was in the making. The Pitt Panthers were facing the No. 1 team in the country — the eventual College World Series champion Virginia Cavaliers. The stands were packed with MLB scouts hoping to catch a glimpse of Cavaliers left-hander Nathan Kirby, Baseball America’s No. 2 junior pitching prospect in the country. Kirby was dominant as usual, but the scouts’ attention had shifted to the 6-foot-7 sophomore who was still on the mound for Pitt, finishing off yet another inning of carving through Virginia’s bats. As the towering right-hander walked back to the dugout after tossing eight shutout innings in a 1-0 win over the previously undefeated Cavaliers, the scouts had to be scrambling through their notes and asking each other, “Who is this guy?” That guy was T.J. Zeuch, starting pitcher for the Pitt baseball team. He’d come a long way since high school, where he was already considered draft-worthy, but still had a lot of developing to do. The Kansas City Royals selected Zeuch out of high school in the 31st round of the 2013 MLB Draft. It was the same franchise that drafted his father 34 years earlier. Unlike his father, Zeuch — now a junior — passed up the opportunity, choosing instead to attend college, where he’s developed into Pitt’s ace and one of the most heralded pitching prospects in the country. Baseball America ranked him the No. 7 draft prospect in the ACC and the No. 41 overall prospect in Division I to start the 2016 season. Zeuch’s father coached his son from the very first time he picked up a glove, but made sure not to push him too hard too fast. He knew firsthand what the consequences could be. The National Pastime Every day, kids all across America step up to the imaginary plate in their backyard and pretend they’re hitting the game-winning home run in the World Series. Things are no different in the Zeuch family, except the kids picture recording the final out

April 22, 2016

James Conner visits Ellen. See online

instead. Tim Zeuch, T.J.’s father, wanted to be a baseball player since he was four years old. He pursued that dream for the next 20 years of his life, growing up in Los Angeles and playing college ball at nearby California State University, Northridge. A 6-foot-6 hurler with a wipeout slider, Tim excelled at CSUN, prompting the Royals to select him in the 1979 draft. Tim spent three years pitching in the Royals’ minor league system, and by age 24, he had worked his way all the way up to the Triple-A class. But a torn rotator cuff ended his season and, effectively, his career. With his baseball career abruptly cut short, Tim got into sales and moved from Los Angeles to the Cincinnati area in 1987 with his wife, Lisa, and their toddler son, Jason. Jason would grow up to be a pretty good swimmer, but in 1995, Tim and Lisa welcomed their third child and second son, T.J. Pint-Sized Pitcher T.J. Zeuch was born on August 1, 1995, in Mason, Ohio, about 20 minutes north of Cincinnati. Like his father, Zeuch wanted to be a baseball player, and, like his father, a pitcher, for as long as he can remember. “I was probably about five years old when I started throwing a baseball,” Zeuch said. “Before my hand was big enough to even hold it.” Zeuch took up pitching right from the beginning, but his first coach was skeptical. “When I was younger, when I signed up for my first team, my mom told the [coach] I was a pitcher,” Zeuch said. The coach sarcastically responded, “Everyone’s a pitcher.” “He kind of didn’t believe her. It’s funny to reflect on that at this point,” Zeuch said. As a kid, Zeuch watched and emulated St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright. It’s not a surprising choice, given that both are imposing right-handers who cast a large shadow on the mound over opposing batters. Wainwright and, more recently, Clayton Kershaw, are the only major league pitchers Zeuch said he has patterned himself after. Of course, he didn’t have to look far for a professional pitcher to learn the craft from — he was raised by one. Zeuch’s father was either his head coach or pitching coach until he was about 15 years old, See Zeuch on page 9

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Zeuch, pg. 8 when he joined a team that had its own pitching coach. “He kind of stepped back and allowed them to work with me on the field,” Zeuch said. “But then at home and off the field, he would work with me still, and he still does today. He still talks to me all the time about mechanics and pitching.” Tim took all the precautions necessary to make sure his son wouldn’t meet the same fate he did. “I was the one who worked with him exclusively,” Tim said. “I was still involved in taking care of his arm, making sure he was iced, making sure he threw the right number of innings and pitches.” Knowing the dangers that curveballs and sliders present to young throwing arms, Tim didn’t just wait until Zeuch was a certain age and assume he was ready to throw them. He needed proof. “I was actually like 15 or 16 years old when I started throwing a real breaking ball. My dad was very careful with that,” Zeuch said. “So he really didn’t teach me to throw it until we had actually gone to an orthopedist and got an X-ray.” The X-ray showed that his growth plates were properly sealed, and Tim had assurance that his son was ready to learn the curveball.

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Now, “the curveball is probably my best pitch,” Zeuch said. Narrowing his Focus Zeuch stopped playing all other sports during his junior year of high school to focus on baseball. It’s no coincidence that’s when the scouts started showing up. Zeuch posted a 2.15 earned run average his junior year at William Mason High School, where he was part of a “dream team” staff with fellow future ACC pitchers Andrew McDonald of Virginia Tech and Rodney Hutchison of University of North Carolina. “It was just an unbelievable staff, a once-in-alifetime collection of talent,” said Curt Bly, Zeuch’s former varsity assistant coach and now the head coach at William Mason. “T.J. was obviously right at the front of that, and we knew without a doubt that we were going to have an opportunity to win every game.” College scouts started to watch Zeuch pitch more and more during his junior year, but after they got a look at him at a showcase that summer, things really took off. “That’s when Pitt actually first saw me in about June or July,” Zeuch said. “I played in a

showcase, and I threw really well, and everyone kind of jumped on me then.” He faced three batters at the East Coast Pro Showcase, striking out two and inducing weak contact against the other. “I was throwing pretty hard for a high school kid,” Zeuch said. “Nothing spectacular but enough to get guys’ attention with my size as well.” Zeuch lowered his ERA to a miniscule 0.62 his senior season and was named first-team AllLeague, All-City and All-Region along with second-team All-State. Zeuch, McDonald and Hutchison helped lead William Mason to a 26-0 record to start the season until losing in the regional semifinals and finishing 26-1. But not before Zeuch pitched a complete game in the district championship to get them there. “They just totally didn’t have a chance in that one,” Bly said. After high school, Kansas City selected Zeuch in the 31st round of the 2013 MLB Draft. The Royals would go on to reach the World Series in 2014 and win it in 2015, but not with Zeuch as a member of the organization. “We didn’t want him to sign for anything oth-

April 22, 2016

er than life-altering money,” Tim said. Zeuch passed up signing with Kansas City to go to college and play for Pitt, where he has transformed from a “17-year-old kid with a lot of developing to do,” as he put it, into the team’s bona fide ace. Zeuch said he passed on signing for two big reasons. “One, I was a 17-year-old kid. I wasn’t ready to be totally on my own in the real world yet, and I knew that I had a lot more development to do, had to get a lot better before I was ready to face professional hitters,” Zeuch said. “Two, the signing bonus wasn’t enough for me to have skipped college and skip that experience.” Making the Leap When he arrived at Pitt, Zeuch was just a “thrower,” Pitt pitching coach Jerry Oakes said. “But now, he’s learning how to pitch, use his lower half more and understand sequences, and that’s what you have to do in this league,” Oakes said. “You can’t just go up there and throw fastballs. You’ve gotta be able to throw off-speed behind in the count.”

Find the full story online at

pittnews.com

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I Rentals & Sublet N D E X -NORTH OAKLAND -SOUTH OAKLAND -SHADYSIDE -SQUIRREL HILL -SOUTHSIDE -NORTHSIDE -BLOOMFIELD -ROOMMATES -OTHER

3 bedroom apartment. $1450 (utilities included). 704 Enfield St. 5 bedroom house. $2200 + utilties. 35 Enfield St. Call 412-969-2790. +++5 bedroom, 2 full baths, huge house, nicely updated, shuttle across street, washer/dryer, $2295+, August 1, photos www.tinyurl.com/pittnewsad4 coolapartments@gmail.com 724-935-2663 1,2,3,5,6, & 8 bedroom houses. August & May 2016. Bouquet, Atwood, Ward & Dawson. Please call 412-287-5712.

2 bedroom available 8/1/16 at $900/month includes all utilities. 3 bedroom available 9/1/16 at $1,350/month includes all utilities. Located on Juliet Street. Security deposit required. Call 412-608-8581. 2 BR, furnished, 2 people. Oakland Ave. $1200 ($600 per person), utilities included. Available immediately - summer sublet. Contact 412-848-9442.

pittnews.com

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2 bedroom. 343 McKee Place. $1200 (heat included).

361 McKee Pl. 4BR + 2BA. $1650 +all utilities. Available May 1.

2 bedroom, 2 bathroom house. 3201 Niagra St. $1200. A/C, dishwasher, washer and dryer.

53 Bates St. 3 BR 2BA. $1300+ all utilities. W/D A/C. Remodeled. Available now.

1 bedroom. 365 Ophelia St. $550+ electric.

51 Bates St. 2 BR apartment. $900+ all utilities. Remodeled. W/D and A/C. Available May.

Call 412-969-2790.

3-Bedroom Townhouse available now. 3 units available. Clean, quiet neighborhood on Joncaire Street, A/C, washer/drier, close walk to campus, $1200. Text 412-736-8277.

3444 WARD ST. Studio and 3 BR apartments available Aug. 1, 2016. Free parking, free heating. Call 412-361-2695. No evening calls please.

4 BR townhouses, Semple St., available May 1st and August 1st 2016. 4 BR summer lease avaiable May, June, and July. Equipped kitchen, full basement. 412-343-4289 or 412-983-5893. Available 8/1, 1 BR/1 Bath, 5 min. walk to Cathedral, A/C, hardwood floors, newly renovated, starting at $995+, 412.441.1211 Available 8/1, 3 BR/1 Bath, less than 1 mile to campus, updated, Dishwasher and AC, starting at $1325+, 412.441.1211

51 Bates St. 3 BR apartment. $1200+ all utilities. W/D and A/C. Available August. 3142 Bates St. 4 BR single house. W/D. $1400+ all utilities. 4 off-street parking spaces included. Available August 1. Call 412-721-1308

South Oakland Duplex. 4 bedroom 2 baths. Central air, dishwasher, washer and dryer. Available August 1. (412)915-0856.

Announcements -ADOPTION -EVENTS -LOST AND FOUND -STUDENT GROUPS -WANTED -OTHER

FOR RENT AUGUST 1 2016: Completely remodeled, spacious 3BR 1.5 BA home on tree-lined residential street. $1695/mo + utilities. Original woodwork, high ceilings, large bedrooms. Parking available. Panther Properties of PA, pantherproperties2@gmail.com. Photos: https://panther-life.com/properties/oakland/ Large 1,2,3 bedrooms available for rent starting June-July. Prices range from $695-$1490/month. Includes gas, heat, and water. See websie www.rentnearpitt.com. Call or text 412-725-1136. Don’t call after 8 PM. M.J. Kelly Realty Studio, 1, 2, & 3 Bedroom Apartments, Duplexes, Houses. $775-$1650. mjkellyrealty@gmail.com. 412-271-5550, mjkellyrealty.com

R INSERTIONS 1X 2X 3X 4X 5X 6X ADDITIONAL A 1-15 WORDS $6.30 $11.90 $17.30 $22.00 $27.00 $30.20 $5.00 T 16-30 WORDS $7.50 $14.20 $20.00 $25.00 $29.10 $32.30 $5.40 E S DEADLINE: TWO BUSINESS DAYS PRIOR BY 3 PM | EMAIL: ADVERTISING@PITTNEWS.COM | PHONE: 412.648.7978 (EACH ADDITIONAL WORD: $0.10)

Studios, 1, 2, & 3 Bedroom apartments available August 2016 & sooner. Oakland, Shadyside, Friendship, Squirrel Hill, Highland Park, Point Breeze. Photos & current availability online, check out www.forbesmanagement.net, or call 412.441.1211 Private 1 bedroom, full bath apartment. Full kitchen, large living room, and washer/dryer. $700/month. Between Joncaire and Yarrow. Water included. 1 year lease required. 1 month security deposit. Text 412-736-8277. Available August 1st. 3 bedrooms, 1 bath house. Great location. Renovated. Central air. Equipped kitchen with dishwasher and microwave. Washer/ Dryer. Starting at $1575+/utilities. Porch/yard. No pets. Call 412-916-4777.

April 22, 2016

Large 1-2-3 BR apartments available August 1st. 3450 Ward Street. 312 and 314 South Bouquet Street. Free parking. Minutes to campus. Cat friendly. Call 412-977-0111. 5 bedroom. May 2016. Sarah St. Large bedroom, new kitchen, air conditioning, washer & dryer, dishwasher, large deck. $2500+utilities. 412-287-5712. 4909 Center Ave. Updated 1 BR with new kitchen, dishwasher & hardwood floors. Laundry, storage and parking available. Close to Pitt & shopping district. Available now and for August. 412-720-4756. Shadyside spacious 2 bedroom, 1 bath. Hardwood floors. New kitchen. August 1st move in. Call 412-361-2695.

Shadyside:1 bedroom. Excellent location. Fully-equipped kitchenette, A/C, wall-to-wall carpeting, Near Pitt shuttle bus stop. Between Walnut Street and Ellsworth shopping districts. No pets. Rent: $860, includes heat. 412-628-1686. Shadyside: Studio or 2 bedroom. Quiet. Great location. Fully equipped kitchenette, A/C, laundry, wall-towall carpeting, near busline and shopping. No pets. Studio: $760 2 BR: $1190. Heat included in rent. Available August 1st. 412-628-1686.

Before signing a lease, be aware that no more than 3 unrelated people can share a single unit. Check property’s compliance with codes. Call City’s Permits, Licensing & Inspections. 412-255-2175.

East End/Point Breeze apt. 2 BR with small deck and equipped kitchen. Close to Frick Park and busline. $475+gas/electric. Available Sept. 1st. Call 412-242-1519. First floor duplex. Solway Street. Available 7/1/16. $1595/month +utilities. 3 BR, 2 Baths. Kitchen. Large dining room/living room/basement. Washer/dryer. Garage. Near bus/shopping district. Ray 412-523-2971, rwiener602@gmail.com. Second floor duplex. Solway Street. Available 6/1/16. $1495/month +utilities. 3 BR 1 Bath. Kitchen. Large dining room/living room/basement. Washer/dryer. Garage. Near bus/shopping district. Ray 412-523-2971, rwiener602@gmail.com.

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SMOKERS NEEDED! Researchers at UPMC are looking to enroll healthy adult cigarette smokers ages 18-65. This research is examining the influence of brief uses of FDA-approved nicotine patch or nicotine nasal spray on mood and behavior. The study involves a brief physical exam and five sessions lasting two hours each. Eligible participants who complete all sessions will receive up to $250, or $20 per hour. This is NOT a treatment study. For more information, call 412-246-5396 or visit www.SmokingStudies. pitt.edu Caregivers and babysitters needed. FT/PT. Earn $25/hour. No experience required. Will train. Call now. 888-366-3244 ext. 102.

Come work where it's Oktoberfest every day. Now hiring for all positions at Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh. Apply in person Monday through Friday.

pittnews.com

HYATT House Pittsburgh Southside Seeking full time and part time valets. Experience with valet and manual transmission a plus. Must be able to work nights and weekends. Shifts are 7am-3pm & 3 pm11 pm. Pay is $8.25/hr +tips. Apply in person at 2795 South Water St. NEED SOME CASH$$. WORK THE PITTSBURGH MARATHON FOR $12/HR ON MAY 1ST. CALL 412-415-5090 Seasonal Work: Shadyside Management Company needs full-time dependable landscapers, painters, and assistant roofers for the summer. Must be at least 18 years old. No experience necessary. $10/hour. Mozart Management, 412-682-7003. Email: thane@mozartrents.com.

Sacred Heart Elementary School in Shadyside is looking for volunteer Volleyball Coaches and Basketball Coaches for the Varsity and JV Teams for the 201617 Seasons. Must be at least 18 years of age and have transportation. If interested, please contact Amy Volpe at jaisvolpe@gmail.com or call 412.295.9260

The Pitt news crossword 4/22/16

ATTENTION OCCASIONAL SMOKERS! UPMC seeks healthy adults ages 18-65 who occasionally smoke cigarettes. This research is examining how smokers respond to cigarettes that are low in nicotine. There are up to seven sessions lasting about three hours each. Research participants completing the study will be compensated up to $60 per session, or $20 per hour. For more information, call 412-246-5393 or visit www.SmokingStudies.pitt.edu

HELP WANTED Painting, yardwork, miscellaneous. Student preferred. Shadyside, Fox Chapel. $10/hour. 412-963-9889. georgebsg@cs.com.

SUMMER HELP NEEDED, Ice company close to campus. Weekends necessary. Production/driving/maintenance positions available. Good pay, part-time/full time. Contact Mastro Ice Company 412-681-4423. mastroice@aol.com Waiter/Waitress/Dishwasher/Cook/Hostess/Host: 20 hours/week, Cafe Sam, 5242 Baum Blvd. Apply MondayFriday 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

April 22, 2016

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April 22, 2016

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