PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — Mason Barth hit a two-run home run in the top of the 10th inning to lift Notre Dame to a 6-4 victory over Pittsburgh on Friday afternoon at Petersen Sports Complex, evening the Atlantic Coast Conference series after the Panthers had won the opener.

The Fightin’ Irish improved to 29-21 overall and 12-17 in the ACC, while the Panthers fell to 30-22 and 13-16. Notre Dame outhit Pittsburgh 12-5 and used a three-run double by Shane Miranda in the sixth inning to build a lead before needing extra innings to secure the win.

Pittsburgh starter Drew Lafferty pitched effectively through the first four innings, allowing only one run on three hits. Notre Dame took a 1-0 lead in the second when Jayce Lee doubled home Noah Coy. The Panthers answered in the bottom half when catcher Joey Baran doubled to left-center, scoring Kai Wagner to tie the game at 1.

The game remained 1-1 until the fifth inning, when Pittsburgh’s Anthony LaSala hit his second home run of the season, a solo shot to left field that gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead. After a pitching change, the Panthers added another run on a sacrifice fly by Lorenzo Carrier, making it 3-1.

Notre Dame responded quickly in the sixth. Lee was hit by a pitch, and after a strikeout, Barth doubled to left, putting runners at second and third. Jamie Zee was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Miranda followed with a double to right-center, clearing the bases and putting Notre Dame ahead 4-3. The Irish added an insurance run later in the inning on a fielder’s choice, making it 5-3.

Pittsburgh cut the deficit to 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth when Baran led off with a solo home run to deep right, his seventh of the season. Both bullpens then shut down the opposition through the seventh and eighth frames. Notre Dame’s Noah Rooney pitched a scoreless ninth inning despite allowing a single and a walk, stranding two runners to send the game to extras.

In the 10th, Barth delivered the decisive blow. After Dylan Passo singled to center, Barth launched his fourth home run of the season to left field, scoring Passo and giving Notre Dame a 6-4 lead. Rooney retired the Panthers in order in the bottom half, inducing a game-ending double play.

Notre Dame starter Ty Uber lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Reliever Dylan Singleton earned the win after throwing 3 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out three. Rooney picked up the save, his first of the season.

For Pittsburgh, Lafferty allowed three runs on six hits in five innings, striking out three. Reliever David Leslie took the loss after allowing the two runs in the 10th. Baran finished 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, two RBIs and two walks. LaSala had the solo homer and an RBI.

The two teams will meet again Saturday in the series finale. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Notre Dame 8, Pittsburgh 3, and Interstat’s ELO system gave Notre Dame a 58.30 percent probability to win the game.