Panthers Drop Game Two in Johnson City

Saturday, March 8

Johnson City, TN

2 PM

Pitt

9-4

East Tennessee State

11-3

Pittsburgh

ETSU

Panthers Drop Game Two in Johnson City

3/8/2025 5:36:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score

Johnson City, TN – The Panthers, now 9-4, fell in game two of their three-game set at ETSU on Saturday afternoon.

Ryan Zuckerman collected his fifth RBI of the weekend on a double in the third and was one of three Panthers with multiple hits on the afternoon. He went 2-4 with two doubles. Left fielder AJ Nessler had his second-straight multiple-hit game on Saturday, going 2-4 with two singles and an RBI sacrifice fly. He has recorded a hit in each of the last eight games and now leads the team in average (.345). Lorenzo Carrier also collected two hits in game two as he went 2-4 with a double and a run scored.

Sebastian Pisacreta launched his second home run of the year on an opposite field solo blast in the second inning. Luke Cantwell, Caden Dulin and Jake Kendro also collected hits for the Panthers.

Pitt's bullpen combined for seven strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work on Saturday. Andrew Gaines struck out four over two innings and allowed two runs. Kayden Faulcon allowed just one run on two hits over 2.1 innings in relief while collecting a career-high three strikeouts.

The Panther offense scored a run in each of the first three innings as they jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Saturday afternoon.

Pitt got one run on one hit in the top of the first inning. Luke Cantwell led off the game with a walk for the sixth time this season and advanced to third on a Caden Dulin single up the middle. With runners now at second and third after Dulin stole second, AJ Nessler lined out to right field and drove in Cantwell on a sacrifice fly, bringing home the first run of the ballgame.

Catcher Sebastian Pisacreta led off the top of the second inning with a solo blast to right center and added to Pitt's early lead. They led 2-0 through the first two frames.

Back-to-back doubles in the top of the third inning by Lorenzo Carrier and Friday night's hero, Ryan Zuckerman, gave Pitt a three-run cushion. Zuckerman's RBI double was his fifth run batted in of the weekend.

ETSU hit two home runs in the bottom of the third and took their first lead of the game. They added another run on a long ball in the fourth and led 5-3 after four full innings.

The Panthers got a run back in the top of the sixth inning and cut their deficit to one. After reaching on an error, Gavin Miller went first to third on a Jake Kendro single and Pitt had runners at the corners with one out. Keeton Burroughs drove in Miller on an RBI fielder's choice to make it a 5-4 ballgame.

The Buccaneers added three runs over the next two innings as they went on to take Saturday's game 8-4.

Drew Lafferty will take the mound in Sunday's rubber match. He is 1-0 in three starts this season. First pitch is scheduled for 1 PM.