University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
5-4
Incarnate Word
8-2
Pitt Earns Comeback Victory over UIW
2/14/2026 4:09:00 PM | Softball
HOUSTON — Pitt erased an early five-run deficit with a six-run third inning and held on for an 8-7 victory over Incarnate Word on Saturday afternoon at the Houston Invitational.
Pitt and UIW each scored a run in the opening inning to even the score after one, but Incarnate Word pulled ahead in the second behind a three-run home run from Victoria Altamirano. The Cardinals added two more runs in the third on solo home runs from Bryanna Fuentes and Erin Perez to take a 6–1 lead I the middle of the third inning.
The Panthers responded immediately in the bottom of the third. Tiley Vaughn ignited the rally with a single and a stolen base, and Calle Henne followed with an RBI double to make it 6–2. Gracie Helton drew a walk before Ahmari Braden laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. KK Esparza drove in a run with a groundout, and Mackenzie Reese singled through the left side to cut the deficit to 6–4. Shelby Frazier then capped the inning with a three-run home run to deep right field, giving Pitt a 7–6 lead.
Esparza added insurance in the fifth inning, blasting a solo home run to extend the Panthers' advantage to 8–6.
Pitt finished with eight runs on eight hits, highlighted by Frazier's three-RBI performance and Esparza's two extra-base hits. Mia Kliethermes earned the win in the circle, pitching in relief as the Panthers secured the comeback victory.
UP NEXT
Pitt wraps up the Houston Invitational on Sunday with a single game against Penn State at noon (CT) / 1 p.m. (ET).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kliethermes, Mia (1-0)
L: Mitchell, Bella (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Altamirano, Victoria 1 ; Fuentes, Bryanna 1
HR: Perez, Erin 1 ; Zenon, Sydney 1 ; Altamirano, Victoria 1 ; Fuentes, Bryanna 1
RBI: Caceres, Jaisy 1 ; Perez, Erin 1 ; Zenon, Sydney 1 ; Altamirano, Victoria 3 ; Fuentes, Bryanna 1
SH: Zenon, Sydney 1 ; Lawson, Aynsli 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Perez, Erin 1 ; Zenon, Sydney 1 ; Gonzales, Ayla 1 ; Altamirano, Victoria 2 ; Fuentes, Bryanna 1 ; Guerra, Dominique 1
SB: Hill, Kennedy 1 ; Guerra, Dominique 1
Batting:
2B: Henne, Calle 1 ; Esparza, KK 1
HR: Frazier, Shelby 1 ; Esparza, KK 1
RBI: Helton, Gracie 1 ; Henne, Calle 1 ; Frazier, Shelby 3 ; Reese, Mackenzie 1 ; Esparza, KK 2
SH: Helton, Gracie 1 ; Braden, Ahmari 1 ; Reese, Mackenzie 1 ; Ball, Alena 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Vaughn, Tieley 1 ; Helton, Gracie 1 ; Murphy, Camryn 1 ; Henne, Calle 1 ; Frazier, Shelby 1 ; Reese, Mackenzie 1 ; Esparza, KK 1 ; Ball, Alena 1
SB: Vaughn, Tieley 1 ; Toczek, Addison 1
CS: Vaughn, Tieley 1
