Carrier Homers Twice, Comeback Falls Short in Series Opener

Friday, March 13

Stanford, CA

9:05 PM ET/6:05 PM PT

Pitt

12-4, 0-1

Stanford

7-10, 1-3

Pitt

Stanford

Carrier Homers Twice, Comeback Falls Short in Series Opener

3/14/2026 1:05:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

STANFORD, CA – The Pitt Panthers (12-4, 0-1) lost their ACC opener at Stanford (7-10, 1-3) on Friday night, 9-7.

A Lorenzo Carrier three-run home run in the ninth inning was not enough to mount a full comeback as Pitt fell in their first conference contest of the season.

Lorenzo Carrier recorded his second two-homer game in the last week and has now hit a home run in seven-consecutive games. Carrier reached base safely in all five of his plate appearances on Friday, going 2-2 with two home runs, four RBI and three walks (two intentional) while scoring four of Pitt's seven runs.

In Pitt's last seven games, Carrier is 20-for-25 (.800) with 30 RBI, nine home runs and 18 runs scored. Through 16 games this season, Carrier is hitting .509 with a 1.200 slugging percentage, 10 home runs and 42 RBI.

Kai Wagner logged his third multi-hit game of the season, going 3-5 with two RBI on his two-run home run in the seventh inning. Wagner has reached safely in every game this season. Joey Baran went 2-4 with a walk, collecting his fourth multiple-hit game of the year. Caden Dulin had a pair of hits as well, going 2-5 with a double and run scored. Trey Fenderson went 1-4 and drove in Pitt's first run of ballgame on an RBI single.

David Leslie gave the Panthers another strong start on the mound, striking out six and allowing just one walk over his 5.2 innings of work. The only blemish on Leslie's record on Friday was a three-run home in the fourth inning.

The Panther offense struck early with one run in the top of the first inning. Trey Fenderson drove in Lorenzo Carrier on an RBI single to left to put the Panthers up 1-0.

David Leslie tossed three shutout innings to start his outing and Pitt still led by one through three.

Stanford grabbed their first lead of the game with a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning and led 3-1 over the first four frames.

Lorenzo Carrier got a run back for the Panthers in the top of the fifth inning as he blasted his first home run of the game and ninth of the season. The home run marked Carrier's seven-consecutive game with a long ball.

Leslie worked a scoreless fifth inning and got two outs in the sixth before being relieved by Daniel McAuliff. McAuliff came in with two runners on, and two out, in the sixth inning and got out of the jam.

Pitt regained their lead in the top of the seventh inning off the bat of Kai Wagner. With two outs, Stanford intentionally walked Lorenzo Carrier to get to Kai Wagner who made them pay with a two-run home run that put the Panthers up 4-3.

The Cardinal plated five runs on three hits in the bottom half of the inning to take an 8-4 lead. They added one more run in the bottom of the eighth inning and went to the last frame with a five-run advantage.

Trailing by five, the Panthers would not go down quietly in the top of the ninth. AJ Nessler walked and Caden Dulin singled to lead off the inning, putting runners on first and second for one of the hottest hitters in the country in Lorenzo Carrier. Carrier blasted a three-run shot, his second home run of the day, 423 feet to left center as he cut the Cardinal lead to just two.

The rally stopped there as Pitt went down in order following the Carrier homer and fell short in their ACC opener, dropping game one to Stanford, 9-7.

The Panthers look to even the series tomorrow afternoon as LHP Vincent Spizzoucco will make his fifth start of the year on the mound. First pitch is slated for 5:05 PM ET/2:05 PM PT.