Panthers Fall on Walk-off

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team returned to action on Saturday afternoon, falling 6-5 to Defiance on a walk-off home run in their first of three games in Berea, Oh.

• Playing as the visitors, the Panthers were able to jump out to an early lead. Kevin Rehak led off the game with a single up the middle, and then quickly stole second base. After a strikeout, Evan Fragela kept swinging a hot bat, as he came through with a long home run to left field to put the Panthers up 2-0. It was the first home run of Fragela's career.
• Pitt-Bradford looked to tack on more in the inning as Jake McNabb followed the home run with a triple to the gap in right-center and Justin Dattoli was hit by a pitch. Unfortunately, the Panthers were unable to take advantage of the situation, as the next two batters were called out on strikes to end the frame.
• Alex Miles started on the mound for the Panthers and quickly saw his 2-0 lead cut in half. The leadoff batter for Defiance tripled to right-center and then scored on an RBI groundout. The third batter of the game hit a double to left but was stranded as Miles retired the next two batters on fly balls to the outfield.
• The Panthers were shut down in order in the 2^nd, but Miles was able to put up 1-2-3 inning in the bottom half, getting a fly ball, pop up, and a strikeout.
• Pitt-Bradford added a run in the 3^rd. Tyler Aires led off the frame with a triple to right-center and after Fragela was hit by a pitch, scored on a sacrifice fly from McNabb.
• Miles was unable to keep Defiance off the board in the 3^rd, as the Yellow Jackets put together a two-out rally to tie the game. Miles gave up a leadoff single but quickly got two outs on a sacrifice bunt and a fielder's choice. With two down, Defiance loaded the bases on a hit batter, and a walk before a single to right field tied the game at two. Miles walked a second batter of the inning to reload the bases before getting a ground out to short to limit the damage.
• Pitt-Bradford was unable to strike back in the 4^th as Noah Myers was stranded on third after getting hit by a pitch, but Miles put together another 1-2-3 inning to keep the game knotted at 3 through 4.
• Evan Fragela singled in the 5^th, but it was all the Panthers could muster as they were kept off the board in the 5^th and 6^th innings.
• After a scoreless 5^th, Miles allowed an unearned run in the 6^th. He retired the first two batters on a fly ball to center and a pop-up, but back-to-back singles found their way through the right side to continue the inning. Miles was able to induce a ground ball, but a throwing error allowed the run to score and the inning to continue. Miles once again limited the damage, stranding runners on 2^nd and 3^rd with a fly ball to center.
• The Panthers immediately struck back and tied the game in the 7^th. Nico Hall drew a one-out walk and then scored all the way from first as Rehak doubled to left-center. Rehak moved to third on a ground ball but was left there as Fragela was retired on strikes to end the inning.
• Alex Fetter replaced Miles in the 7^th and quickly got the Panthers back to the dugout as he retired the side in order, striking out the first two batters he faced before ending the inning with a grounder to third.
• Fetter was rewarded for his shutdown inning with a run in the 8^th. Justin Dattoli gave the Panthers a 5-4 lead as he hit a long home run to left-center with one out in the inning. The blast was his first career home run.
• Fetter was not as effective in the 8^th, as he allowed the Yellow Jackets to tie the game on two walks, and two hits in the bottom of the 8^th. Fetter walked the first two batters before getting the first out on a sacrifice bunt. Defiance loaded the bases with a single to right before Fetter struck out a batter for the second out. With two down, Defiance was able to score the run on an infield single to second base to tie the game.
• Pitt-Bradford was retired on a line out, pop-up and a runner caught stealing after a walk to set up the dramatic situation in the bottom of the 9^th. Fetter was able to get two quick outs on a strikeout and fly ball to center but was unable to get the game into extras as the third batter of the inning homered to left to end the game.

Alex Fetter (0-3) got the loss after allowing 2 earned runs in 2.2 innings pitched. He struck out 4. Starting pitcher Alex Miles received a no-decision in the game. He allowed 4 runs, 3 earned in 6.0 innings pitched. He tallied two strikeouts. Evan Fragela finished the game 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs on the first-inning home run. Kevin Rehak also recorded a multi-hit game, going 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI. Justin Dattoli's home run was his only hit of the day.

The Panthers will remain in Ohio for the night, as they will be back in action for a split doubleheader. They will begin the day at 12:00 p.m. with a matchup against Baldwin Wallace, before finishing the weekend with a matchup against Hiram.