Baran, Panthers Walk-Off Penguins in Gritty Win on Wednesday

Wednesday, March 25

Pittsburgh, PA

3 PM

Pitt

17-6

Youngstown State

3-19

Youngstown State

Pitt

Baran, Panthers Walk-Off Penguins in Gritty Win on Wednesday

3/25/2026 7:19:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

PITTSBURGH – The Pitt Panthers (17-6) walked-off the Youngstown State Penguins (3-19) in the bottom of the ninth inning on Wednesday afternoon at Charles L. Cost Field.

With two runners on base and down one run in the bottom of the ninth inning, Joey Baran laid down a bunt to the third baseman. The Penguin third baseman fielded and threw the ball up the first base line which allowed both Panthers to score and Pitt to escape with an 8-7 walk-off victory.

In a game that saw six lead changes, the Panthers responded any time Youngstown State scored.

Pitt hit four home runs for the third time in their last five games. Each of the Panthers' home runs on Wednesday were of the back-to-back variety. Caden Dulin and Lorenzo Carrier hit consecutive home runs in the third inning followed by Sebastian Pisacreta and Carter Dierdorf in the sixth inning.

On the mound, Pitt's arms struck out eleven Penguins and allowed just one walk. Freddy Beruvides Jr. made his first start of the year and struck out four over 3.1 innings. Joey Ciancimino relieved him in the fourth and allowed just one earned run while striking out three over 1.2 innings. Sam Bryan tossed a scoreless sixth inning and Mikey Gray got the final two outs in the ninth as he earned his second win of the season.

Four of the five different Panthers who recorded multiple hits this afternoon also hit a home run. Lorenzo Carrier (2-4) led the way with a home run, two RBI and two run scored. Joey Baran went 2-5 with the most crucial hit of the day on his walk-off bunt. Sebastian Pisacreta and Carter Dierdorf hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning, and each went 2-3 with a walk and a run scored. Caden Dulin had another multiple-hit game, slugging two extra-base hits (2B, HR) in the win.

After the Penguins hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the first, Lorenzo Carrier and the Panthers responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Caden Dulin legged out a double in the gap to put himself in scoring position for Carrier who drove him in on a single to right. Pitt trailed 2-1 after one.

Pitt would take the lead in the third inning with back-to-back home runs of their own off the bats of Dulin and Carrier. They lead 3-2 after three.

Youngstown State added a pair of runs on an infield single and an error in the top of the fifth inning to take a 4-3 lead.

The Panthers regained their lead in the bottom of the sixth inning on back-to-back home runs for the second time in the game. Sebastian Pisacreta and Carter Dierdorf each slugged 400-plus-foot home runs to center field to give Pitt a 5-4 lead after six.

The Penguins tied the game in the eighth inning with a solo shot to right, knotting the game at five runs apiece.

Sebastian Pisacreta punched a one-out single to right to get a rally going in the bottom half of the inning. Consecutive walks to Carter Dierdorf and Derrick Tarpley Jr. loaded the bases for Julian Irizarry who drove in the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice to short.

With Pitt back in front, Youngstown State responded with a two-run home run to take the lead in the top of the ninth inning.

The Panthers did what they had done all afternoon and responded in the bottom of the ninth. Lorenzo Carrier led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch and Kai Wagner lined an opposite field single to left on the eighth pitch of his at-bat. With the tying run now in scoring position, Joey Baran laid down a bunt to the third baseman who airmailed his throw to first allowing both Carrier and Wagner to score as the Panthers walked off the Penguins, 8-7, on Wednesday.

Pitt travels to Louisville, KY this weekend for their third ACC series of the season. It will be the first time since 2017 that the Panthers have made the trip to Louisville.