Panthers Fall to Demon Deacons in Series Opener

Friday, April 3

Pittsburgh, PA

3 PM

Pitt

20-8, 5-5

Wake Forest

22-9, 6-7

Wake Forest

Pitt

Panthers Fall to Demon Deacons in Series Opener

4/3/2026 6:33:00 PM | Baseball

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PITTSBURGH – The Pitt Panthers (20-8, 5-5 ACC) fell in game one of their series with Wake Forest (22-9, 7-6 ACC) on Friday afternoon, 8-2.

Centerfielder AJ Nessler went 1-2 with an RBI triple, a run scored and two walks this afternoon. Third baseman Kai Wagner went 1-4 and drove in Pitt's first run of the game on an infield single. Shortstop Caden Dulin accounted for Pitt's other hit in the series opener, going 1-4.

Left-hander Brandon Reiter struck out two over 1.1 scoreless and hitless inning in relief. The true freshman has not allowed a hit nor a run in his 3.2 innings this season.

The Panthers opened the scoring on Friday with runs in each of the first two innings.

AJ Nessler led off the bottom of the first with a walk and went from first to third on a Caden Dulin single to right. Kai Wagner would drive in Nessler on an infield single to put Pitt up 1-0 in the first.

In the bottom of the second inning, Carter Dierdorf worked a one-out walk and scored from first on AJ Nessler's triple down the first base line. His RBI triple had an exit velocity of 108 mph and was his fourth three-bagger of the season.

David Leslie threw three scoreless innings to begin his outing as Pitt led 2-0 through the first three frames.

Wake Forest hit a pair of home runs and added five runs in the top of the fourth inning to take their first lead of the game. The Panthers trailed 5-2 after four.

The Demon Deacons added a run in the seventh and two runs in the eighth to extend their lead to six.

Pitt loaded the bases with a pair of hit-by-pitches and a walk in the bottom of the seventh inning but were unable capitalize as Wake Forest made a run-saving play defensively to end the inning and the threat.

The Panthers fell 8-2 in the series opener on Friday afternoon.

Pitt looks to even the series tomorrow afternoon when LHP Vincent Spizzoucco will make his eighth start on the mound this year for the Panthers. First pitch is scheduled for 3 PM.