Panthers Win Big on Opening Day, 12-4

Friday, February 13

Port Charlotte, FL

1 PM

Pitt

1-0

Western Michigan

0-1

Western Michigan

Pitt

Panthers Win Big on Opening Day, 12-4

2/13/2026 7:49:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score Postgame Media Availability Photo Gallery

PORT CHARLOTTE, FL – The Pitt Baseball team earned a resounding 12-4 victory over Western Michigan on Opening Day this afternoon.

Solid pitching and a potent offense paved the way for a Panther win at Centennial Park on Friday. Pitt's 12 runs were their most on an Opening Day since 2016.

David Leslie, an All-American at Division-III Grove City College last season, got the Opening Day start on the mound for the Panthers. He allowed just one run on three hits over four innings in his Pitt debut. Daniel McAuliff picked up where he left off at last year, tossing two scoreless frames in relief. Joey Ciancimino followed suit, also throwing two shutout innings out of the bullpen.

Four Panthers drove in multiple runs in the win, led by AJ Nessler who went 3-4 with three RBIs, two runs scored and two walks. Julian Irizarry matched Nessler in the hits department on Friday, also collecting a 3-4 day while driving in two runs. Kai Wagner (1-4, 2 BB) and Lorenzo Carrier (1-4) would each drive in a pair of runs as well. DH Joey Baran went 2-4 with a double and three runs scored in his Panther debut.

The Panthers struck first, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning.

Following an AJ Nessler walk and Caden Dulin single, Kai Wagner drove in Pitt's first run of the year on an RBI single to left-center field. After advancing to third base on the Wagner single, Dulin would score Pitt's second run of the inning on a Lorenzo Carrier RBI groundout.

Nessler added another run for the Panthers in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single to right center. Joey Baran trotted home from third after he singled to lead off the inning.

Western Michigan got a run back in the top of the third inning, but Pitt still led by two after three.

Joey Baran roped a one-out double in the bottom of the fourth inning and scored from third one at-bat later as Julian Irizarry laced an RBI single of the middle.

After a scoreless fifth inning, the Broncos scored three runs on two hits to knot the game at four runs apiece in the top of the sixth.

The Panthers came right back and regained their lead in the bottom half of the inning. Following two quick outs, Carter Dierdorf singled up the middle and would advance into scoring position on a dirt ball read in the next at-bat. With Dierdorf now on second, Julian Irizarry drove in his second run of the game on an RBI single through the right side. A Nessler single and Dulin walk loaded the bases for Kai Wagner. He would watch four-straight balls and bring home Irizarry from third to give Pitt a 6-4 lead after six innings.

Pitt broke the game open with five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. A bases loaded wild pitch, sacrifice flies from Carter Dierdorf and Lorenzo Carrier and walks from AJ Nessler and Caden Dulin put this game out of reach. The Panthers now led 11-4.

Nessler and the Panthers added one more insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning. The senior from Tampa, FL drove in his third run of the day on his third hit of the day. Irizarry, who put himself in scoring position on a two-out double, scored Pitt's twelfth and final run of Opening Day.

The Panthers are back in action tomorrow afternoon at Centennial Park against the Western Michigan Broncos. Left-hander Vincent Spizzoucco will get the start on the mound, making his Pitt debut.