Pitt Baseball Blows Lead, Loses to Duke in ACC Tournament

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers held an early lead, but couldn't hold on late, as they lost 4-3 to Duke in the ACC Tournament Second Round.

Pitt loaded the bases in the top of the first inning, as junior second baseman Caden Dulin made it to first base on a hit-by-pitch, sophomore third baseman Ryan Zuckerman got onto first base after an error from Duke graduate third baseman Ben Miller, and then junior left fielder AJ Nessler walked.

Blue Devils freshman left-handed starting pitcher would hit Panthers sophomore catcher Sebastian Pisacreta, bringing home Dulin for a 1-0 lead.

Duke brought in graduate right-handed pitcher Ryan Calvert, who would strikeout redshirt junior right fielder Lorenzo Carrier and got designated hitter Jayden Melendez to fly out, ending the inning.

Dulin led off the top of the third inning with a single, Zuckerman walked and then Nessler moved the runners on a ground out for Pitt.

Pisacreta hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Dulin, then Carrier singled, scoring Zuckerman as Pitt took a 3-0 lead.

Pitt got a great start from redshirt sophomore starting right-handed pitcher Drew Lafferty, who allowed two hits and two walks, while striking out five batters over three innings of scoreless work.

The Panthers brought in left-handed pitcher Patrick Gardner in the bottom of the fourth inning, and after hitting a batter and allowing a walk, he got three straight outs to keep the Blue Devils scoreless.

Duke got a run back in the bottom of the fifth inning, as senior shortstop Wallace Clark walked and sophomore center fielder AJ Gracia doubled, scoring Clark to trim the Pitt lead to 3-1.