University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
2-1
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Western Michigan
1-2
Panthers Slug Six Home Runs in Series-Clinching Win Over Western Michigan
2/15/2026 4:04:00 PM | Baseball
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL – The bats came alive in Pitt's series-clinching win over Western Michigan on Sunday afternoon, run-ruling the Broncos 17-7 in eight innings.
The Panthers recorded 21 hits and six home runs on the afternoon. It's the first time Pitt hit six home runs in a game since 2022. All nine Panthers in the lineup recorded at least one hit on Sunday, while seven Panthers recorded at least two.
First baseman Jackson Cooke hit two home runs and drove in six runs in the win. He finished the day 3-5 with those two home runs, a double and a career-high six RBIs. Eight of his 13 hits as a Panther have been home runs.
Kai Wagner became the first Panther this year to have a four-hit game. The transfer from North Colorado went 4-5 with a home run and three runs scored. Trey Fenderson continued to have good at-bats at the plate, finally breaking through with a three-hit, two-RBI day on Sunday. Senior centerfielder AJ Nessler had his second three-hit day of the weekend, going 3-5 with a home run. Caden Dulin (2-6, 2 RBI) and Sebastian Pisacreta (2-5, RBI) joined in the home run party as well, each blasting their first of the year.
RHP Drew Lafferty gave the Panthers a quality start, striking out seven batters and minimizing damage in his five innings of work. Left-hander Antonio Doganiero was strong over his two innings in relief, allowing just one run on one hit.
For the second-straight day, Western Michigan scored a run in the top of the first inning as they took an early 1-0 lead on Sunday.
The Panthers bounced right back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the second inning. Singles from Trey Fenderson and Kai Wagner made way for Jackson Cooke who launched a three-run blast to left.
Despite surrendering a run in the next half inning, Pitt added a pair of runs on RBI singles from Joey Baran and Trey Fenderson to extend their lead to 5-2 at the end of three frames.
The Panthers added to their lead an inning later, putting together a four-run fourth inning that was led off with Jackson Cooke's second home run in as many at-bats. A double down the line from Julian Irizarry and a single from AJ Nessler brought Kai Wagner to the plate who walked to load the bases. Lorenzo Carrier would work Pitt's seventh bases-loaded walk of the weekend and bring home Irizarry from third. With the bases still full, Joey Baran drove in Nessler from third on a sacrifice fly to left. Trey Fenderson drove in his second run of the day on a two-strike, two-out, single to right, giving Pitt a 9-2 lead after two.
Western Michigan hit a pair of home runs in the top of the seventh inning, cutting the Panther lead to just two. The Panthers responded with two homers of their own on solo shots from Sebastian Pisacreta and AJ Nessler in the bottom half of the inning.
A six-spot in the bottom of the eighth inning ended Sunday's series finale early. Baran and Fenderson each drew walks and would score on a Jackson Cooke double down the left field line. Cook finished the day with a career-high six RBIs. Cooke then used his wheels to score on a wild pitch one at-bat later. After a Nessler walk, Caden Dulin and Kai Wagner hit back-to-back home runs and the Panthers went on to run-rule Western Michigan, 17-7.
Pitt returns next weekend in Corpus-Christi, TX at the Kleberg Bank College Classic. They open up the weekend with Long Beach State on Friday, February 20 at 2 PM ET/1 PM CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lafferty, Drew (1-0)
L: KIDD, Ricky (0-1)
.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
Batting:
2B: RICK, Lucas 1
HR: OSTRANDER, Connor 1 ; MALONEY, Michael 1
RBI: OSTRANDER, Connor 3 ; MALONEY, Michael 1 ; RICK, Lucas 3
SH: HUMS, Cooper 1
SF: OSTRANDER, Connor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: MALLY, Tanner 2 ; HOWARD, Drew 2 ; OSTRANDER, Connor 2 ; MALONEY, Michael 1
SB: MALLY, Tanner 1 ; OSTRANDER, Connor 1
HBP: MALLY, Tanner 2
Batting:
2B: Irizarry, Julian 1 ; Cooke, Jackson 1
HR: Pisacreta, Sebastian 1 ; Wagner, Kai 1 ; Nessler, AJ 1 ; Cooke, Jackson 2 ; Dulin, Caden 1
RBI: Fenderson, Trey 2 ; Pisacreta, Sebastian 1 ; Wagner, Kai 1 ; Carrier, Lorenzo 1 ; Nessler, AJ 1 ; Baran, Joey 2 ; Cooke, Jackson 6 ; Dulin, Caden 2
SF: Baran, Joey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fenderson, Trey 2 ; Irizarry, Julian 1 ; Pisacreta, Sebastian 2 ; Wagner, Kai 3 ; Nessler, AJ 3 ; Walsh, Zach 1 ; Cooke, Jackson 3 ; Dulin, Caden 2
SB: Wagner, Kai 2 ; Nessler, AJ 1
