Pitt Takes Game One from Virginia Tech, 9-5

Friday, May 2

Pittsburgh, PA

6 PM

Pitt

22-21, 7-15

Virginia Tech

27-19, 11-14

VIRGINIA TECH

PITTSBURGH

Pitt Takes Game One from Virginia Tech, 9-5

5/3/2025 12:51:00 AM | Baseball

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PITTSBURGH - After a rain delay that lasted over two hours, the Panthers (22-21, 7-15) took game one from the Hokies, 9-5, on Friday night.

Pitt combined for 12 hits on the evening, making it their second-consecutive game with double-digit hits. Four Panthers - David Pedanou (2-4, 2 RBI, R), Ryan Zuckerman (2-5, HR), AJ Nessler (2-5, 2 R, RBI, 2B) and Jayden Melendez (2-5, 2 R) all had multiple-hit games.

First baseman Luke Cantwell went 1-2 with a run scored and three walks. It was his first three-walk game since their series opener at Boston College at the end of March. Julian Irizarry and Jake Kendro each went 1-4 with an RBI single.

Pitt starter Patrick Garnder earned his fourth win of the season, allowing just three earned runs over 5.2 innings. Matt Porter tossed 1.1 scoreless innings in his relief appearance. Ethan Firoved came out of the bullpen to start the eighth inning and closed game one out for the Panthers. He struck out three and surrendered just one unearned run over the final two frames.

The Hokies jumped out to an early 2-0 lead over the first three frames. With one out and the bases loaded in the top of the third inning, Virginia Tech flew out into a 9-2 inning-ending double play. Charging in on a fly ball, Julian Irizarry was able to fire a strike from right field to nab the advancing runner at the plate to end the inning and the jam.

Pitt got a run back in the bottom of the third inning as David Pedanou dashed home from third on a passed ball. He started the rally with a two-out single to right. Caden Dulin and Luke Cantwell each worked four-pitch walks and loaded the bases. With Pedanou at third and Zuckerman at the plate, David scored on a passed ball and cut the Hokie lead in half.

After a seven-pitch top of the fourth inning from Gardner, the Panthers took the lead with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Lorenzo Carrier walked and Jayden Melendez singled to put runners at first and second with one out. Jake Kendro laced an RBI single to left and advanced to second on the throw home. With two runners now in scoring position, David Pedanou raced down the first base line for an RBI infield single. The Panthers led 3-2 after four.

Pitt added another pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on four hits. The Panthers' first five batters in the inning reached. Luke Cantwell led off the inning with a walk and moved up to second on a Ryan Zuckerman single up the middle. AJ Nessler laced an RBI double down the left field line that drove in Cantwell from second. Nessler would advance to third on the play as Zuckerman was nabbed at the plate on a 7-5-2 putout. In his second game back from injury, Lorenzo Carrier shot an RBI single the other way into right to drive in Nessler and extend Pitt's lead to three.

Virginia Tech hit two solo home runs in the top of the sixth inning, but the Panthers still led by one through six.

Nessler led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single up the middle, Carrier walked, and Melendez reached on an error as the Panthers loaded the bases with no one out. Irizarry continued to produce at the plate and lined an opposite field RBI single through the left side. With the bases still full Pedanou was hit with an 0-1 pitch that brought home Carrier. Caden Dulin drove an RBI sacrifice fly to dead center that scored Melendez and gave Pitt an 8-4 lead in the seventh.

Ryan Zuckerman launched a towering 400 ft. solo home run over the left field wall in the bottom of the eighth inning which gave Pitt their ninth run of the evening.

Virginia Tech got a run in the top of the ninth, but the Panthers did not allow any more as they took game one from the Hokies, 9-5.

Up Next

The Panthers will look to clinch their first ACC series of the season with a win on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is currently scheduled for 3 PM.