BRADFORD, Pa. – The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team earned a split with Penn State-Behrend Friday at the Kessel Athletics Complex.
"The guys answered back in a big way in game two and strung a well-played game together," Head Coach Zach Foster said. "Bacha threw the ball extremely well today and the defense backed him up. We came up with some timely hits as well. A great team win."
After the day's action, Pitt-Bradford is 8-5 in AMCC action in fourth place in the conference while Penn State-Behrend is 10-6 in third place.
The victory over Penn State-Behrend in game two is the Panthers' first win over the Lions since March 31, 2010.
Andrew Bacha delivered seven innings of strong pitching on the mound in game two, striking out four while giving up three runs and walking as many.
Alex Andrzejewski came on in relief in the eighth inning and inherited a runner on third with no outs. He left the runner stranded and got the last six outs of the contest to preserve the lead and earn his first save of the season.
Sawyer Packard came through with the big hit during the second game, a bases-loaded single that brought home Dalton Renn and Austin Parent and extended the Panthers' lead to 5-2.
Jay Clinger also dropped in a pair of base hits and drove in two runs while scoring two as well.
Tim Brown and Austin Parent provided RBI base hits too.
In game one, Ryan Boyer started on the mound and went 5.2 innings while striking out four.
The Panthers worked four hits, highlighted by a double from Clinger.
Game One: Penn State-Behrend 7, Pitt-Bradford 0
A two-run home run for the Lions in the top of the first gave Penn State-Behrend a quick 2-0 lead.
Clinger knocked a double to deep centerfield in the second but was left stranded.
A run in the third and a four-spot in the sixth gave Behrend its seven total runs.
Into the sixth, Clinger's double was the only hit of the day for the Panthers until Parent doubled to lead off the bottom of the sixth. However, both runners were eventually left stranded.
Pitt-Bradford worked two hits in the bottom of the seventh from Samuel Dreistadt and Tyler Hoops. But the bases were eventually left loaded and Behrend held on for the shutout win.
Benjamin Hayes came on in relief of Boyer and got four outs for the Panthers, one by way of a strikeout.
Pitt-Bradford left 10 runners on base.
The Panthers played a clean game in the field, making zero defensive errors.
Game Two: Pitt-Bradford 6, Penn State-Behrend 4
Penn State-Behrend got its offense going the same way it did in game one, except this time it was a solo home run off the scoreboard in the second inning.
The Panthers answered in the bottom of the second as Brody Wood came into score on a base hit through the left side from Brown.
Behrend scored one more run on a sacrifice fly in the fourth, but the Panthers answered in the fifth with two of their own, taking a 3-2 lead.
With Hoops aboard at second, Clinger lined one through the right side for an RBI single. He then came into score on a single to center from Parent.
Bacha sent the Lions down in order in the sixth and seventh, giving the Panthers a chance to build on their lead in the bottom half.
With two away, Parent, Renn and Wood walked, bringing Packard to the plate with the bases loaded.
He came through, driving the ball to center field to score Renn and Parent, giving the Panthers a 5-2 lead.
Behrend showed signs of a comeback in the eighth, though.
The leadoff hitter walked and the scored on an RBI triple to right center.
But Andrzejewski came on in relief and induced a quick popup and a line out.
He then struck out the next batter swinging, holding the runner at third and putting an instant stop to any further threat.
Pitt-Bradford got an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth.
Hoops singled with two out and then stole second.
Clinger then stepped in and singled through the right side, scoring Hoops.
In the top of the ninth down three, Behrend loaded the bases and scored on a walk. But a fly out and a ground out stopped the scoring and secured the victory for Pitt-Bradford.
Up next, the Panthers will head to La Roche Saturday for a pair of road AMCC contests.