University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
10-3
San Jose State
4-9
Carrier Drives In Eight Runs as Panthers Plate a Season-High
3/6/2026 10:35:00 PM | Baseball
SAN JOSE, CA – The Pitt Panthers (10-2) won their sixth-consecutive game and scored a season-high 20 runs in Friday's win at San Jose State.
Pitt's six-game winning streak is their longest since the 2021 season. They have scored 89 runs throughout that stretch.
The Panthers' 20-1 win today was their largest margin of victory since May of 2024.
Lorenzo Carrier (3-3, 3 R) had a career day at the plate, going slugging two home runs and driving in eight runs. The two long balls and eight RBIs were both career highs. He's the first Panthers to drive in eight or more runs in a game since 2024 when CJ Funk drove in nine against Wright State (5/8).
Julian Irizarry (3-4, 3 R, 3 RBI, HR, 2 2B) and Carter Dierdorf (3-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B) each had three-hit, three-RBI days in the win. Irizarry ripped two doubles and hit the first home run of his career. Dierdorf has driven in 14 runs in Pitt's last four games. AJ Nessler (2-3, 3 R, 3B) had another multiple-hit day and led off the game with a triple. Trey Fenderson drove in another run collected his fifth multi-hit game of the season.
True freshman Mason Ligenza hit the first home run of his career in his only at-bat of the game. He's driven in four runs in his last two plate appearances. Anthony LaSala followed that up with a solo home run of his own as he and Ligenza hit back-to-back homers in the sixth inning.
Pitt's arms continued to shut down opposing offenses, allowing just one run and six base runners over their seven innings of work on Friday. The Panther pitching staff has walked just three batters in their last five games.
David Leslie gave the Panthers another quality start as he earned his second win of the season. He struck out five and allowed just one run on two hits over four innings. In relief, Chase Kriebel, Noah Czajkowski and Michael Savarese each tossed scoreless frames. The bullpen allowed just one hit in their three innings.
Pitt had their best start to a game this season on Friday. They recorded not one, but two, eight-run innings in the first three frames.
AJ Nessler led off the game with his second triple of the season and would be driven in on the very next pitch by a Caden Dulin single to center. Three-consecutive walks loaded and bases and brought in a second run as Dulin trotted home on a Joey Baran walk. A two-run single by Carter Dierdorf followed by an RBI double by Julian Irizarry put the Panthers up six. Lorenzo Carrier capped off Pitt's best start to a game this season with a two-run single to center. Pitt led 8-0 after one.
Julian Irizarry led off the top of the third inning with a double off the base of the wall in center. Walks by Nessler and Dulin loaded the bases for Carrier who blasted a grand slam to left center. Kai Wagner shot a double down the first base line and scored in the ensuing at-bat on a Trey Fenderson single to left. Fenderson stole second base to move up into scoring position and would be driven in by Carter Dierdorf who line an RBI double into the right-center gap. Irizarry found himself up at the plate again in the third as the Panthers batted around. With Dierdorf at second, Irizarry hit the first home run of his career as the Panthers led 16-0 after the first three innings.
Lorenzo Carrier added two more RBIs to his tally, launching his second home run of the game in the top of the fourth inning. Carrier's career-high eighth RBI extended Pitt's lead to 18.
The Spartans got a run in the bottom half of the inning, cutting their deficit to 17.
The Panthers weren't done offensively. They added two more runs in the top of the sixth inning, eclipsing their season-high 20-run mark. Mason Ligenza and Anthony LaSala slugged back-to-back home runs in the top of the sixth. For Ligenza, it was the first home run of his young career.
The Panthers bullpen closed it out with three scoreless innings from Chase Kriebel, Noah Czajkowski and Michael Savarese as the Panthers took game one, 20-1.
First pitch for tomorrow's game two will be at 4:05 ET/1:05 PT. LHP Vincent Spizzoucco will look to continue his impressive start to the season on the mound for the Panthers.
There will be no stream available for Saturday's game.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Leslie, David (2-0)
L: Calzadiaz, Kyle (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Wagner, Kai 1 ; Irizarry, Julian 2 ; Dierdorf, Carter 1
3B: Nessler, AJ 1
HR: LaSala, Anthony 1 ; Ligenza, Mason 1 ; Irizarry, Julian 1 ; Carrier, Lorenzo 2
RBI: LaSala, Anthony 1 ; Ligenza, Mason 1 ; Irizarry, Julian 3 ; Carrier, Lorenzo 8 ; Dierdorf, Carter 3 ; Dulin, Caden 2 ; Baran, Joey 1 ; Fenderson, Trey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wagner, Kai 2 ; LaSala, Anthony 1 ; Ligenza, Mason 1 ; Irizarry, Julian 3 ; Carrier, Lorenzo 3 ; Dierdorf, Carter 2 ; Dulin, Caden 3 ; Nessler, AJ 3 ; Baran, Joey 1 ; Fenderson, Trey 1
SB: Fenderson, Trey 2
HBP: Cooke, Jackson 1 ; Kendro, Jake 1 ; Dulin, Caden 1 ; Nessler, AJ 1
Batting:
2B: Fernandes, Alex 2
RBI: McCoy, Jake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fernandes, Alex 1
HBP: Ramirez, Alan 1
