The Pitt Panthers (31-23, 11-19 ACC) powered past Louisville in the first round of the ACC Baseball Championship, 16-8, on Tuesday night.
Pitt's sixteen runs were their most in an ACC Tournament game. They bested the previous record of thirteen that was set during last year's first round matchup with Louisville.
The Panthers have now won at least one game in six of the seven ACC Baseball Championships they have played in. Pitt has an 8-7 record during ACC postseason play.
Trey Fenderson hit two home runs and drove in a career-high seven runs in the Panthers' win. His seven RBI were the most by a Panther in an ACC Tournament game, and one shy of the single-game ACC Tournament record. Fenderson began his day with a three-run home run in the top of the first inning and added a grand slam in the top of the fourth. He finished the day 3-for-4 with three runs scored.
David Leslie shined in relief with what was his best outing as a Panther. The right-hander struck out a career-high nine batters over 6.1 innings, allowing just two earned runs on four hits. Leslie entered the game in the bottom of the second inning and was able to get the Panthers out of a jam before firing four scoreless innings to begin his outing.
Eight of Pitt's nine batters recorded at least one hit in the win. Behind Fenderson's performance, Lorenzo Carrier had another productive day at the plate. The Bear, Del. native went 2-for-4 with three RBI, three runs scored, two walks and a double. He is now three RBI, and three walks shy of setting the single-season program records for both runs batted in and base on balls.
Catcher Sebastian Pisacreta had his seventeenth multiple-hit game of the season on Tuesday, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a double. In his first career postseason game, Mason Ligenza lined a two-run home run to right field that left his bat at 108 MPH.
The Panther offense exploded for five runs in the top of the first inning. AJ Nessler and Caden Dulin led off the game with a pair of singles, Carrier worked a walk, and the Panthers loaded the bases with no one out. Kai Wagner drove in the game's first two runs on a single to right. With runners now at the corners, Fenderson unloaded and blasted a three-run home run to left center to put Pitt up 5-0 before Louisville could record an out.
After Pitt starter Antonio Doganiero struck out the side in the bottom of the first, Louisville responded with five runs of their own in the bottom of the second inning to knot the game after two.
Pitt's offense erupted for another big inning, plating six runs top of the fourth. Pisacreta led off the frame with a double down the left field line and moved up to third on groundout. With Pisacreta now just ninety feet from home, Ligenza turned on a 2-1 pitch and launched a two-run blast to right field. The national leader in walks then worked three-consecutive base on balls to load the bases with two outs. Fenderson, who slugged a three-run home run in the top of the first, hit a grand slam to put the Panthers up 11-5.
The Panthers added for more runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a ten-run lead. For the second inning in a row, Pitt worked three-consecutive walks to load the bases. Carrier would line a three-run double off the right field wall to clear the bases. Carrier scored on an error in the next at-bat as Pitt led 15-5 in the fifth.
Leslie continued to deal out of the bullpen for the Panthers, firing yet another scoreless frame in the sixth inning to keep it a ten-run ballgame.
Louisville got a run in the bottom of the seventh, but Pitt came right back with a run of their own. Three-consecutive singles from Fenderson, Carter Dierdorf and Pisacreta to lead off the inning loaded the bases. Fenderson would score on a double play to put the Panthers up 16-6.
After the Cardinals added two more runs in the eighth inning, left-hander Chase Kriebel came in to clinch the first-round victory for the Panthers as they went on to win 16-8 on Tuesday night.
Pitt will face Wake Forest in the second round of the ACC Baseball Championship tomorrow evening, May 20, at 9 PM.
THE ASYLUM
Panthers advance, face Wake
The Pitt Panthers (31-23, 11-19 ACC) powered past Louisville in the first round of the ACC Baseball Championship, 16-8, on Tuesday night.
Pitt's sixteen runs were their most in an ACC Tournament game. They bested the previous record of thirteen that was set during last year's first round matchup with Louisville.
The Panthers have now won at least one game in six of the seven ACC Baseball Championships they have played in. Pitt has an 8-7 record during ACC postseason play.
Trey Fenderson hit two home runs and drove in a career-high seven runs in the Panthers' win. His seven RBI were the most by a Panther in an ACC Tournament game, and one shy of the single-game ACC Tournament record. Fenderson began his day with a three-run home run in the top of the first inning and added a grand slam in the top of the fourth. He finished the day 3-for-4 with three runs scored.
David Leslie shined in relief with what was his best outing as a Panther. The right-hander struck out a career-high nine batters over 6.1 innings, allowing just two earned runs on four hits. Leslie entered the game in the bottom of the second inning and was able to get the Panthers out of a jam before firing four scoreless innings to begin his outing.
Eight of Pitt's nine batters recorded at least one hit in the win. Behind Fenderson's performance, Lorenzo Carrier had another productive day at the plate. The Bear, Del. native went 2-for-4 with three RBI, three runs scored, two walks and a double. He is now three RBI, and three walks shy of setting the single-season program records for both runs batted in and base on balls.
Catcher Sebastian Pisacreta had his seventeenth multiple-hit game of the season on Tuesday, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a double. In his first career postseason game, Mason Ligenza lined a two-run home run to right field that left his bat at 108 MPH.
The Panther offense exploded for five runs in the top of the first inning. AJ Nessler and Caden Dulin led off the game with a pair of singles, Carrier worked a walk, and the Panthers loaded the bases with no one out. Kai Wagner drove in the game's first two runs on a single to right. With runners now at the corners, Fenderson unloaded and blasted a three-run home run to left center to put Pitt up 5-0 before Louisville could record an out.
After Pitt starter Antonio Doganiero struck out the side in the bottom of the first, Louisville responded with five runs of their own in the bottom of the second inning to knot the game after two.
Pitt's offense erupted for another big inning, plating six runs top of the fourth. Pisacreta led off the frame with a double down the left field line and moved up to third on groundout. With Pisacreta now just ninety feet from home, Ligenza turned on a 2-1 pitch and launched a two-run blast to right field. The national leader in walks then worked three-consecutive base on balls to load the bases with two outs. Fenderson, who slugged a three-run home run in the top of the first, hit a grand slam to put the Panthers up 11-5.
The Panthers added for more runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a ten-run lead. For the second inning in a row, Pitt worked three-consecutive walks to load the bases. Carrier would line a three-run double off the right field wall to clear the bases. Carrier scored on an error in the next at-bat as Pitt led 15-5 in the fifth.
Leslie continued to deal out of the bullpen for the Panthers, firing yet another scoreless frame in the sixth inning to keep it a ten-run ballgame.
Louisville got a run in the bottom of the seventh, but Pitt came right back with a run of their own. Three-consecutive singles from Fenderson, Carter Dierdorf and Pisacreta to lead off the inning loaded the bases. Fenderson would score on a double play to put the Panthers up 16-6.
After the Cardinals added two more runs in the eighth inning, left-hander Chase Kriebel came in to clinch the first-round victory for the Panthers as they went on to win 16-8 on Tuesday night.
Pitt will face Wake Forest in the second round of the ACC Baseball Championship tomorrow evening, May 20, at 9 PM.
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