Western Michigan Falls to Pitt in Season Opener

Box Score PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The Western Michigan baseball team opened up its 2026 season with a 12-4 loss to Pittsburgh on Friday afternoon.

FINAL SCORE: Pittsburgh 12, Western Michigan 4
LOCATION: Centennial Park (Port Charlotte, Fla.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (0-1) | Pittsburgh (1-0)
W: Daniel McAuliff (1-0) | L: Zach Vriesenga (0-1)

Michael Maloney picked up Western Michigan's first hit of the new season, an infield single with two outs in the first, but was left on base. Pittsburgh then opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the home half of the frame, and added another in the second to make it 3-0.

WMU tallied its first run of the campaign in the top of the third. Nolan Zajac led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a Mason Pilarski ground ball and was then driven home by Tanner Mally.

The Panthers notched a run in the fourth to extend their lead back to three, 4-1.

Western Michigan put its first three batters on base in the sixth to load the bases. Mally raced home on a wild pitch, which also put the tying runs in scoring position. With two outs, Mark Mennecke tied it up with a two-run double, his first hit as a Bronco.

Pittsburgh answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning to regain the advantage. The Panthers then tacked on five in the seventh and one in the eighth to put the contest beyond reach.

The Broncos and Panthers continue their three-game, season-opening series on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm on FloCollege.

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Players Mentioned

#2 Tanner Mally: OF/INF; 5' 11"; Junior; R/R

#12 Michael Maloney: INF; 5' 10"; Fifth Year; R/R

#32 Zach Vriesenga: RHP; 6' 6"; Junior; R/R

#27 Nolan Zajac: C; 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R

#10 Mason Pilarski: MIF; 6' 1"; Freshman; R/R

#20 Mark Mennecke: OF/1B; 6' 0"; Junior; L/L

Players Mentioned

#2 Tanner Mally
: 5' 11"; Junior; R/R
: OF/INF

#12 Michael Maloney
: 5' 10"; Fifth Year; R/R
: INF

#32 Zach Vriesenga
: 6' 6"; Junior; R/R
: RHP

#27 Nolan Zajac
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R
: C

#10 Mason Pilarski
: 6' 1"; Freshman; R/R
: MIF

#20 Mark Mennecke
: 6' 0"; Junior; L/L
: OF/1B