Panther Rally Comes Up Short, Fall in Game Two to Western Michigan

Saturday, February 14

Port Charlotte, FL

1 PM

Pitt

1-1

Western Michigan

1-1

Western Michigan

Pitt

Panther Rally Comes Up Short, Fall in Game Two to Western Michigan

2/14/2026 6:15:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

PORT CHARLOTTE – The Pitt Panthers (1-1) fell to Western Michigan (1-1), 7-5, on Saturday afternoon as the Broncos evened the weekend series.

The Panthers worked double-digit walks for the second-straight game to start the year but were unable to do much damage as a result.

Joey Baran made his first appearance behind the plate today and slugged Pitt's first home run of the season. Pitt's other three runs came via bases-loaded walks from Julian Irizarry, Caden Dulin and Sebastian Pisacreta. Pitt batters have now driven in six runs on bases-loaded walks to start the year.

Western Michigan jumped out to an early lead on a two-run double in the top of the first inning.

Pitt got a run back in the bottom of the second inning and would trail 2-1 after three. A Trey Fenderson double down the leftfield line, and walks from Joey Baran and Carter Dierdorf, loaded the bases for Julian Irizarry who worked a walk of his own to bring in a run.

Joey Baran knotted the game at two runs apiece with an opposite field solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The home run was his first as a Panther.

With the Broncos threatening in the next half inning, Freddy Beruvides Jr. escaped a base-loaded jam in the top of the fifth. The junior induced a weak groundball to Trey Fenderson at second to get out of the inning unscathed.

The Panthers and Broncos traded blows in the sixth inning, each scoring a run to make it a 3-3 ballgame.

While Western Michigan got a run on a bunt single to first, Carter Dierdorf and Joey Baran cut down a Bronco runner trying to take an extra base. Avery Thielman was thrown out at home as he attempted to score from second on the play.

Pitt continued to be patient at the plate, scoring another run this weekend on a bases-loaded walk. The Panthers worked four walks in the sixth as AJ Nessler trotted home on Caden Dulin's free pass.

Western Michigan regained their lead in the top of the seventh with runs on a wild pitch and a single to right. They then extended their lead to three runs in the eighth inning, scoring on an error to take a 6-3 advantage.

The Panthers kept battling and cut the lead to just one run in the bottom of the eighth inning. With two outs, Pitt put runs on first and second on an AJ Nessler single and Caden Dulin walk. Kai Wagner bounced a ball to the third baseman who airmailed his throw to first, scoring Nessler from second. Lorenzo Carrier was intentionally walked to load the bases for Sebastian Pisacreta who worked a seven-pitch walk that scored Dulin.

The Broncos added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning as they took game two of the series, 7-5.

The series finale is set for a new first pitch time of 11 AM tomorrow morning at Centennial Park. RHP Drew Lafferty gets the start on the mound for the Panthers. Lafferty made 13 starts for Pitt last season.