Fenderson’s Four Hits Leads Pitt Past UNCG in Series Opener

Friday, February 27

Pittsburgh, PA

3 PM

Pitt

6-2

UNC Greensboro

4-6

UNCG

Pitt

Fenderson’s Four Hits Leads Pitt Past UNCG in Series Opener

2/27/2026 7:28:00 PM | Baseball

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PITTSBURGH – The Pitt Panthers (6-2) took game one from the UNC Greensboro Spartans (4-6) on Friday afternoon behind a fourteen-run output from the Panther offense.

It's the fifth time this season that the Pitt offense put up double-digit runs in a game. The Panthers have now scored 14 or more runs in four of their last six games. Their 17 hits were their second-most in a game this season.

Trey Fenderson had a career day at the plate, going 4-5 with two RBIs and his first home run of the year. He's the second Panther this season to have a four-hit game. Fenderson is now hitting .406 with an 1.053 OPS on the season.

Lorenzo Carrier (3-4, 3 RBI, 3 R, 2B) and Sebastian Pisacreta (3-5, RBI 2B) were right behind Fenderson with three hits each in the win. AJ Nessler (2-6, 2 R) and Joey Baran (2-4, 2 R, RBI, BB) continued to produce at the plate and get on base, each logging another multiple-hit game. Jackson Cooke's power was put on display again, slugging his third homer of the season on a towering two-run shot to left-center. Anthony LaSala got the start shortstop on Friday and worked three walks while driving in two runs in his four plate appearances.

David Leslie made his first start at Charles L. Cost Field and earned the first win of his Division-I career. He struck out seven and did not allow a walk in six innings of work. Dnaiel McAuliff worked a scoreless eighth inning and Sam Bryan, in his first appearance of the year, shut the door on the Spartans in the ninth.

Trey Fenderson led off the bottom of the third inning with his second consecutive hit of the day on a single to center. Following a Lorenzo Carrier walk, Sebastian Pisacreta moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Kai Wagner drove in Pitt's first run of the game on a sacrifice fly to center that scored Fenderson from third. With Carrier now at third, Jackson Cooke put the Panthers in front with a two-run blast to left-center.

David Leslie worked another scoreless frame in the top of the fourth inning as he struck out the side

Pitt added to their lead in the bottom half of the inning on another two-run blast, this time courtesy of Trey Fenderson. He drove his first homer of the year the other way to right field. The Panthers led 5-2 after the first four innings.

The Spartans cut Pitt's deficit to just one with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning.

The Panthers responded with a four-run bottom of the fifth to extend their lead to five. A Joey Baran walk and Derrick Tarpley Jr. single to leadoff the inning put runners at the corners with no one out. Pitt utilized small ball once again as Anthony LaSala laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to bring in Baran from third.

AJ Nessler singled to right center to put runners on the corners for the second time in the inning. Lorenzo Carrier then lined a double to right that scored both Tarpley and Nessler. Pisacreta would drive in Carrier on a double of his own as the Panthers led 9-5 through five.

The Panther offense put the game out of reach in the seventh inning with five runs on four hits. Trey Fenderson's fourth hit of the day was a one-out single to left. He stole second to put himself in scoring position for Lorenzo Carrier who drove him in on an RBI single to center. Sebastian Pisacreta singled in the following at-bat to put runners on the corners once again. Kai Wagner reached on a fielder's choice that nabbed Pisacreta and scored Carrier from third. Joey Baran then roped an RBI single through the right side that drove in Wagner from second.

With the bases now loaded, Anthony LaSala collected his second RBI of the day on a five-pitch walk. Joey Baran scored Pitt's 14^th and final run, dashing home from third on a wild pitch.

Daniel McAuliff and Sam Bryan would pitch scoreless eighth and ninth innings to close out the series opener.

The Panthers and Spartans will conclude the series tomorrow afternoon with a doubleheader starting at 12 PM. Game two of the doubleheader will begin 45 minutes following conclusion of the first game.