PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — Antonio Doganiero pitched six strong innings and Trey Fenderson delivered a go-ahead two-run double in the eighth as Pittsburgh beat Notre Dame 6-3 on Thursday night at Petersen Sports Complex.

The Panthers improved to 30-21 overall and 14-11 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Fightin’ Irish dropped to 28-21 and 9-16.

Doganiero allowed five hits and two earned runs while striking out five over six innings. He retired the side in order in the first and third innings and worked around a two-run second. The right-hander, who entered with a 1-3 record in his previous two starts, kept Notre Dame off the board after the second.

Notre Dame took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first when Mark Quatrani hit a solo home run to left field, his 13th of the season. The Irish added two more in the second. Michael Barth doubled down the left-field line and scored on a double by Daniel Miranda. Miranda later came home on a wild pitch.

Pittsburgh chipped away in the fifth. After a double play erased a single, Jack Wagner homered to right, his eighth, to cut the Irish lead to 3-1. Trey Fenderson then singled and later scored on a two-run double by Sebastian Pisacreta that tied the game 3-3.

Neither team scored in the sixth or seventh. Notre Dame loaded the bases with one out in the seventh but grounded into a double play. The Irish left two runners on in the eighth as well.

Pittsburgh took control in the bottom of the eighth. After two quick outs, Matt Carrier singled and Wagner walked. Fenderson then doubled down the left-field line, scoring both runners to give the Panthers a 5-3 lead. After an intentional walk, a bases-loaded walk to Ryan Baran added an insurance run. Fenderson finished 2 for 5 with two RBIs.

Notre Dame mounted a threat in the ninth. With two outs, Quatrani walked, and a throwing error by shortstop Jake Kendro allowed pinch runner Sam Logan to score, cutting the lead to 6-4. But Cameron Lee struck out swinging to end the game.

Pittsburgh’s Eddie Smink pitched two perfect innings of relief with three strikeouts. Noah Rooney threw two scoreless innings for Notre Dame with three strikeouts. Jack Radel started for the Fighting Irish and allowed three earned runs on zero hits in five innings, striking out seven. He was hurt by four walks and two wild pitches.

The pivotal sequence came in the fifth when Pittsburgh erased a three-run deficit. After Radel struck out Carrier but allowed a single and then caught Dulin stealing, Wagner’s solo homer got the Panthers on the board. Fenderson singled and Dierdorf walked before Pisacreta’s double tied the game. That momentum carried into the eighth when Fenderson’s double broke the tie.

Notre Dame had won four straight entering the game, including a 16-6 victory over Dayton on Tuesday. Pittsburgh had lost three of its previous four, including a 7-3 defeat to Penn State on Tuesday.

The two teams meet again Friday and Saturday at Petersen Sports Complex.

Interstat’s game simulator projected an 8-3 Notre Dame victory. Interstat’s ELO system gave Notre Dame a 59.40 percent probability to win.