A tough finish in Pittsburgh
The Panthers entered their last regular‑season game against Notre Dame looking to close the year on a high note, but the Fighting Irish struck first, erupting for four runs in the opening inning and adding three more in the second to build a seven‑run lead.
Pittsburgh managed to plate a single run in the bottom of the third, but Notre Dame answered with four more in the fourth before the Panthers rallied with three runs of their own in the fifth. The momentum shifted again in the sixth when the Irish exploded for nine runs, extending the gap to 21‑5.
Lorenzo Carrier was the bright spot for the home side, launching a 457‑foot blast over the scoreboard for his nineteenth home run of the season and following it up with his twentieth later in the same inning. His back‑to‑back homers underscored a milestone that places him among only three Panthers in program history to reach the 20‑home‑run mark in a single year.
Anthony LaSala contributed a pair of RBI hits, going 2‑for‑3 with two runs driven in, while Joey Baran added a 2‑for‑4 performance that included his second home run in as many days and two runs scored. Despite the late‑inning surge, the Panthers could not close the gap before the final out.
Looking ahead to Charlotte
With the regular season now in the books, the Panthers will pack their bags for Charlotte, North Carolina, where they are slated to compete in the 2026 ACC Baseball Championship next week. The trip offers a fresh start and an opportunity to regroup after a challenging series against Notre Dame.
Coach Carter Dierdorf, along with teammates Mason Ligenza, AJ Nessler, and Sebastian Pisacreta, will look to translate the experience from the Notre Dame matchup into a competitive edge at the championship. The team hopes to leverage the momentum of Carrier’s power surge and LaSala’s clutch hitting as they aim for a strong showing in Charlotte.