University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
18-19, 5-13
Duke
28-14, 12-9
Dulin Homers Twice in Series Finale Loss
4/19/2025 5:35:00 PM | Baseball
DURHAM, NC - Caden Dulin slugged two home runs and drove in four runs in Pitt's back-and-forth series finale loss on Saturday afternoon.
In a game that had four lead changes, the Panthers (18-19, 5-13) fell 19-9 in eight innings in game three.
For the first time in his collegiate career, Caden Dulin hit two home runs in a game. Dulin slugged a three-run homer in the third and then a solo shot in the fifth. It's the third time this season a Panther has had a multiple-home run game. Ryan Zuckerman accounts for the other two. Dulin has now hit three home runs and has driven in 18 runs this season.
David Pedanou had two hits, two stolen bases and scored three runs on Saturday. His three runs scored were the second-most in a game by a Panther this season. AJ Nessler had multiple hits in back-to-back games, going 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored in the series finale. Freshman Julian Irizarry has the first multiple-hit game of his career on Saturday. He went 2-4 with two singles.
In his first time as the leadoff man this season, David Pedanou led off Saturday's game with a single in the first and manufactured Pitt's first run of the game. After advancing to second on a wild pitch, he stole third and put himself 90 feet closer to home. Luke Cantwell drove a sacrifice fly to deep center field that scored Pedanou and put the Panthers in front in the top of the first inning.
The Panthers scored five runs on five hits in the top of the third inning and jumped out to a six-run lead.
Shortstop Anthony LaSala, making his third-straight start, led off the inning with a walk. With LaSala at first, Pedanou lined his second single in as many at-bats through the right side, putting runners at the corner with no one out. Pedanou stole his second base of the day and advanced to third on an errant throw by the catcher, allowing LaSala to trot home and score Pitt's second run on Saturday.
Picking up where he left off on Friday, AJ Nessler ripped an RBI single through the right side and into right field, scoring Pedanou and making it a three-run game. Pitt had runners at first and second following a Ryan Zuckerman single for Caden Dulin. Dulin sent a three-run home run over the wall in left center to double the Panther lead and make it 6-0 in the third.
While Duke got a run in the bottom half of the inning, Ryan Reed induced a 3-6-1 double play to end the inning and keep it a five-run ballgame.
With one out in the top of the fifth inning, Caden Dulin slugged his second home run of the day to the same spot that he did earlier. Pitt led 7-2.
Duke scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth to take their first lead on Saturday.
Despite the Panthers relinquishing their lead, they came right back with two runs in the top of the sixth. For the second time today, Anthony LaSala led off an inning with a walk. Pedanou reached on a fielder's choice and AJ Nessler walked to load the bases for Pitt's newly appointed cleanup man, Luke Cantwell. Cantwell delivered with a two-run single to center, scoring LaSala and Pedano and giving Pitt a 9-8 lead.
The Blue Devils scored eight runs in the bottom half of the inning to regain their lead for the second time in as many innings. Pitt trailed 16-9 after six.
Duke tacked on runs in the seventh and eighth innings as they went on to take the series finale, 19-9 in eight innings.
Up Next
Pitt will play their first home game in 17 days when they host Mercyhurst this upcoming Wednesday, April 23 at 6 PM.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Easterly, Reid (6-1)
L: McAuliff, Daniel (2-2)
Batting:
2B: Melendez, Jayden 1
HR: Dulin, Caden 2
RBI: Nessler, AJ 1 ; Cantwell, Luke 3 ; Dulin, Caden 4
SF: Cantwell, Luke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pedanou, David 3 ; Nessler, AJ 1 ; Zuckerman, Ryan 1 ; Dulin, Caden 2 ; LaSala, Anthony 2
SB: Pedanou, David 2 ; Nessler, AJ 1
Batting:
2B: Gracia, AJ 1 ; Miller, Ben 2 ; Hyde, Jake 2 ; Albright, Tyler 1
HR: Gracia, AJ 1 ; Rounds, Ben 1 ; Harris, Sam 1
RBI: Gracia, AJ 2 ; Miller, Ben 4 ; Hyde, Jake 1 ; Albright, Tyler 2 ; Rounds, Ben 3 ; Winslow, Macon 2 ; Harris, Sam 3 ; Berger, Jake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Clark, Wallace 1 ; Bell, Andrew 1 ; Gracia, AJ 4 ; Miller, Ben 2 ; Hyde, Jake 2 ; Albright, Tyler 2 ; Rounds, Ben 2 ; Winslow, Macon 2 ; Harris, Sam 1 ; Berger, Jake 2
SB: Clark, Wallace 1 ; Albright, Tyler 1
HBP: Clark, Wallace 1 ; Gracia, AJ 1
