Cassidy Lewis Leads Softball to a Split with Grove City

Cassidy Lewis Leads Softball to a Split with Grove City

BRADFORD, Pa. - The Pitt-Bradford softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Grove City Monday. The Panthers edged the Wolverines 2-1 in the first game before falling 6-2 in the nightcap.

Starter Cassidy Lewis was brilliant in game one, surrendering one run in a complete-game effort. She yielded just five hits and did not walk a batter while earning her third win of the season.

Pitt-Bradford scored in each of the first two innings to build a quick 2-0 lead. Grace Dadzaa, who tripled to lead off the bottom of the first, scored on Betty Fratercangelo's double to centerfield. Lewis singled with two outs in the second, and promptly stole second base. In the next at bat, Dadzaa lined a base hit up the middle, easily scoring Lewis.

Grove City trimmed the deficit to 2-1 in the fourth, but the Panther defense would make several key plays over the final three innings to preserve the lead.

In the fifth, the Panthers turned an unconventional 5-3-1 double play, with the second out coming at third base, erasing a leadoff hit. Lewis hit the first batter in the seventh, but Nicole Nolte threw her out attempting to steal second. The Wolverines' Erika Aughton struck out looking, the third punchout of the day for Lewis, to end the game.

Pitt-Bradford outhit Grove City 7-5 and stole five bases. Dadzaa and Fratercangelo both had two hits apiece.

The Wolverines responded to the opening-game loss by striking for three runs in the first inning of game two.

Pitt-Bradford pulled within 3-1 on Jenna Fellow's infield single that scored Lindsey Hull from third. The Panthers eventually loaded the bases in the frame but failed to come through with the big hit.

Grove City added a run in the fourth, and a two-run single in the sixth put the game out of reach. Dadzaa tallied a RBI single in the bottom half of the frame to account for the final score.

The Wolverines loaded the bases in every inning but one and pounded out 16 hits. Sam Hribal was charged with the loss, allowing four runs on 10 hits in four innings pitched.

Pitt-Bradford totaled 10 hits but left nine runners on base, going 2-10 as a team with runners in scoring position. Fellows, Hull, and Madison East each had two hits apiece for the Blue and Gold.

Pitt-Bradford moves to 7-20 on the season and returns to conference action Wednesday when its hosts D'Youville at 3 p.m.