University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
4-2
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi
5-3
Pitt Falls in Kleberg Bank College Classic Finale
2/22/2026 7:40:00 PM | Baseball
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – The Pitt Panthers fell in the finale of the Kleberg Bank College Classic to the host school Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 5-2, on Sunday afternoon.
Right-handed pitcher Joey Ciancimino provided a spark out of the bullpen for the Panthers, striking out five and allowing just two hits over 2.2 scoreless innings.
Second baseman Trey Fenderson went 1-3 with an RBI sacrifice fly in the loss. Kai Wagner and Jackson Cooke recorded Pitt's other two hits on the day.
The Panthers put several runners on base early in the game but were unable to take advantage of those opportunities until the top of the fifth inning.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi grabbed an early lead with two runs on three hits in the bottom of the second inning. Despite the two-run deficit, Drew Lafferty and the Panthers were able to minimize the damage as the Islanders left the bases loaded.
The Islanders brought two more runs home in the bottom of the fourth inning. Joey Ciancimino inherited a bases-loaded jam with one out in the fourth and got the Panthers out of it to keep the deficit at four.
Pitt got a pair of runs back in the next half inning, cutting the Islander lead in half. Four walks brought in the Panthers' first run of the ballgame as outfielder Lorenzo Carrier worked a full-count free pass that scored Jake Kendro from third. Trey Fenderson drove in Caden Dulin on a sacrifice fly to right center and the Panthers trailed 4-2 after five.
Joey Ciancimino continued to deal out of the bullpen, striking out five batters in his 2.2 scoreless innings in relief.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi added one more insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning as they went on to take Sunday afternoon's contest, 5-2.
The Panthers will host Bucknell at Charles L. Cost Field this Wednesday, February 25 at 3 PM for their home opener.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Smith, Easten (1-0)
L: Lafferty, Drew (1-1)
Batting:
RBI: Fenderson, Trey 1 ; Carrier, Lorenzo 1
SF: Fenderson, Trey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kendro, Jake 1 ; Dulin, Caden 1
SB: Carrier, Lorenzo 1 ; Walsh, Zach 1 ; Cooke, Jackson 1
CS: Fenderson, Trey 1
Batting:
2B: Russell, Austin 1
RBI: Russell, Austin 1 ; Reynolds, Jayden 2 ; Bergstrom, Jack 1
SH: Barron, Jake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sanchez, Cade 1 ; Towchik, Max 1 ; Reynolds, Jayden 1 ; Bergstrom, Jack 1 ; Barron, Jake 1
SB: Reynolds, Jayden 1 ; Smith, Jackson 1 ; Bergstrom, Jack 1
CS: Russell, Austin 1 ; Reynolds, Jayden 1
HBP: Towchik, Max 1
