The No. 14-seeded Pittsburgh Panthers eliminated the No. 11-seeded Louisville Cardinals from the 2026 ACC Baseball Championship with a 16-8 victory on Tuesday night at Truist Field in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Pittsburgh advanced to face No. 6 seed Wake Forest on Wednesday, May 20. The loss ended Louisville's season at 30-27.
The Panthers powered their offense with three home runs and 12 hits.
Trey Fenderson led the way, going 3-for-5 with two home runs, including a grand slam, and seven RBIs.
Lorenzo Carrier added three RBIs, while Kai Wagner and Mason Ligenza each drove in two runs.
Right-handed reliever David Leslie earned the win after pitching 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on four hits, walking two, and striking out nine.
Pittsburgh jumped to a 5-0 lead in the first inning, but Louisville tied it with five runs in the second.
The Panthers reclaimed control in the fourth on a two-run homer by Ligenza and a grand slam by Fenderson for an 11-6 advantage.
Carrier's three-run double in the fifth extended the lead to 15-5.
Louisville finished with 10 hits, all singles. Zion Rose went 3-for-5 with three RBIs.
ACC Player of the Year Tague Davis went 1-for-5 with two RBIs, and Alex Alicea had two hits and one RBI.
Louisville starter Wyatt Danilowicz took the loss, allowing seven earned runs on six hits and two walks over 3.1 innings.
The defeat marks the fourth time in six years Louisville has missed the NCAA Tournament.
Davis addressed transfer portal tampering surrounding his future. "It's not normal, but I guess it's a part of the game now," he said.
He expressed concerns about player acquisition trends. "I feel like there's been a lack of development on the college baseball scene.
It's always 'paychecks, paychecks.' There's just not really a love for the game anymore," Davis said.
He reiterated his commitment to Louisville. "That's why I chose here.
I love it here. I know guys develop into the real goal, and that's the MLB," Davis said.
The Panthers entered the tournament leading the nation in walks and have 31 wins this season under coach Mike Bell.
