Altoona, Pa -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team started a grueling stretch of six games in three days on Sunday afternoon, losing a pair to Penn State-Altoona. The Panthers lost a tight battle in game one 4-2, and then had trouble restarting in game two, losing 21-5.
Game 1: Pitt-Bradford 2 - Penn State-Altoona 4
The opener saw the Panthers take a 2-0 lead, but could not hold it for long, ultimately falling 4-2 in the 7-inning contest.
Jacob Sherdel got the start for the Panthers and was able to match three straight zeros to begin the game. He worked around two runners in the first, one in the second, and two more in the third to keep the game scoreless. The Pitt-Bradford offense had a sluggish start to the game, as they could only muster one walk in the first turn through the lineup.
In the 4th, Pitt-Bradford's bats awoke, scoring twice in the frame. Andrew Bokulich led off with a double to center and then scored a batter later when Evan Fragela lined a single back up the middle. While the next two Panthers were retired, Fragela moved to third on a wild pitch and a groundout. With two down, Noah Avey was able to hustle down the line and beat out an infield single, allowing Fragela to score and the Panthers to go up 2-0.
The Panther lead did not last long, as the hosts scored twice in the bottom of the frame to end the inning. After a leadoff single, Sherdel retired two straight batters, but could not escape the inning. The first run of the frame scored on a single and a throwing error and then the Lions found the outfield for another two-out single to tie the game at two.
Pitt-Bradford went down in order in the 5th, and the Lions pounced on the opportunity to build momentum, taking the lead in the bottom of the inning. Sherdel allowed a leadoff single and then a high flyball that landed just past the fence for a two-run home run. After the home run, Sherdel was relieved by Ben Suter. Suter allowed a single to the first batter he faced but settled down and retired the next three.
The Panthers could not take advantage of a two-out single from Maxwell Rogers in the 6th, sending Suter back to the hill trailing by two. The first two Penn State-Altoona batters reached on a single to center and a bunt hit, but Suter was able to get out of the inning unscathed, retiring three more in a row on a sacrifice bunt, a grounder to third and a flyball to center.
In the 7th, the Panthers looked to rally as Noah Avey drew a leadoff walk. After the free pass, the Lions went to their closer, who was able to get the next three Panthers out to end the game.
Jacob Sherdel (1-3) picked up the loss after allowing 4 runs, 3 earned, on 8 hits and 3 walks in 4+ innings pitched. He struck out 4. Ben Suter allowed just 3 hits over 2 innings of work. Offensively, the Panthers managed just 4 hits in the game. Andrew Bokulich had the only extra-base hit, a double, and scored a run. Evan Fragela finished 1 for 3, scored one run, and drove another in. Noah Avey and Maxwell Rogers each had a hit and a walk, while Avey picked up an RBI.
Game 2: Pitt-Bradford 5 - Penn State-Altoona 21
In the nightcap, the Panthers fell behind immediately, as they struggled to get out of the first inning, allowing 13 runs to score in the frame. They had a short rally, but ultimately fell 21-5.
The Panthers could not take advantage of a one-out single by Andrew Bokulich in the first, before sending Brandon Amidon-Crawford to the mound. He quickly fell behind, as the Lions scored before an out was recorded on a leadoff single, a wild pitch, and an infield single combined with an error. Amidon-Crawford was nearly out of the inning, retiring two straight batters, but could not close the frame. He allowed a two-out 2-run home run to continue the frame, and then the inning continued as the next 5 lions reached base on Amidon Crawford, using two errors, a single, a walk, and a double. After the double made the score 7-0, Amidon-Crawford was replaced by Logan McConnell. The onslaught continued against the Panther reliever as the Lions added 6 more runs on two singles, two home runs, a walk, and another double. Mallick Metcalfe replaced McConnell following the RBI double and ended the frame with a strikeout.
Neither team was able to score in the second before the Panthers started a rally with two outs in the third. Evan Fragela started the rally with a single and then moved to second on an infield single to third base. Two runs were scored on a single to center by Noah Avey, with the first scoring on the hit and the second due to a throwing error. Blake Prestash followed with a single to center to bring in the 3rd run of the frame, but following another infield hit by Bret Babcock, the inning came to an end. Metcalfe nearly posted a shutdown inning in the 3rd, but a two-out double allowed the Lions to tack on a run.
Metcalfe kept the Lions off the board in the 4th, and the Panthers threatened to cut further into the lead in the 5th. Rogers led off with a hit and then the Panthers loaded the bases with one out on back-to-back hits from Prestash and Babcock. Unfortunately, the rally ended as fast as it started on a 4-6-3 double play. Metcalfe allowed two runners to reach base to begin the bottom of the 5th and was replaced by Owen Dombrosky. Dombrosky struck out the first batter he faced, but then allowed a walk and two straight singles, extending the deficit to 15. Shane Wetherington replaced Dombrosky and retired two batters around another run-scoring single to end the inning. He allowed two more unearned runs in the 6th.
In the 7th, the Panthers were able to score two more runs before the game came to an early end. Aaron Hair drew a one-out walk before Justin Smulik hit a line drive home run to left center to score two runs. The blast was the first of Smulik's collegiate career.
Brandon Amidon-Crawford (1-1) got the loss after allowing 8 runs, 3 earned in 2/3 of an inning pitched. The Panthers used 4 relievers to finish the game. Mallick Metcalfe lasted 3.1 innings, allowing 3 earned runs on 5 hits while striking out 4 batters. Shane Wetherington pitched the final 1.2 innings pitched, allowing 2 unearned runs while striking out two. Maxwell Rogers, Blake Prestash, and Bret Babcock all went 2 for 3 in the loss. Justin Smulik had a 2-run home run in a pinch-hit at-bat late in the game.
Pitt-Bradford falls to 9-17 on the season with a 2-4 record in AMCC play. They will look to right the ship tomorrow, as they will take on Penn State-Behrend in another road double-header. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. in Erie.
