BRADFORD, Pa. – The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford softball team dropped both sides of an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference doubleheader Friday against Hilbert at the Kessel Athletic Complex.
"Tough day for us," Head Coach Tina Phillips said. "Straight up, we did not hit, but that's softball. Give Hilbert credit; they came here and simply beat us. Allen pitched great for them. We just need to learn from this and get back at it tomorrow. We're still a young team and learning some things about playing at this level."
Hilbert got the best of a tight first game, coming out on top 2-1. The Panthers managed two hits, led by a pair from Jenna Hicks.
In the circle, Morgan Bellush went six innings while surrendering one run and striking out three.
The winning run came into score in the seventh, and the Panthers were unable to extend the game or take the lead in the bottom of the inning, securing the win for the Hawks.
In game two, Pitt-Bradford dropped in four hits – three coming as part of a seventh-inning rally.
Samantha Hribal tossed all seven innings in the circle.
For Hilbert, Rachel Allen threw all 14 innings on the day to earn the two complete-game wins.
Pitt-Bradford drops to 1-3 in AMCC play and 9-11 overall.
Game One: Hilbert 2, Pitt-Bradford 1
Pitt-Bradford earned the first hit of the game in the bottom of the second as Nichole Nolte singled to left. However, she was left stranded.
Hilbert scored the first run of the day in the fourth as a leadoff single came into score on an RBI double to right centerfield.
The Panthers tied it up in the bottom half. Madison East led off with a double to left. She then came into score on a Hilbert throwing error trying to throw her out advancing to third on the groundout by Melissa Nye.
Bellush and the Panther defense left a runner stranded on second in the top of the fifth.
In the bottom half, the Panthers had runners on first and second with Chandler White at the plate pinch hitting. However, a groundout to the pitcher ended the threat.
The Panthers spoiled another Hawks' rally in the sixth as a leadoff single was part of a 6-4-3 double play.
Pitt-Bradford was held scoreless in the bottom half and the two teams took a 1-1 ballgame into the seventh.
Liz Dzurisin came onto pitch after Bellush surrendered a leadoff walk.
Hilbert then thought it had caught a break as Pitt-Bradford committed a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt. However, the Panther defense recovered and threw the lead runner out attempting to take third base.
Later on, with a runner on second base, a ball found the hole in shallow centerfield and allowed the run to score from second, giving the Hawks a 2-1 lead.
Hicks singled for the Panthers in the bottom of the seventh, but that would be all the Panthers would get as Hilbert held on.
Along with Hicks' two hits, East and Nolte made up the other two base hits for Pitt-Bradford's four-hit effort.
Betty Fratercangelo reached base twice on two walks – the only walks surrendered to the Panthers in the contest.
Game Two: Hilbert 5, Pitt-Bradford 0
Hilbert scored its first runs of the ballgame in the third and fifth innings on RBI singles.
Into the seventh, the Panthers owned just one hit – which came from Natalie Harding in the third.
The Hawks built their lead as a run scored on a throwing error and two more came in on a double to deep centerfield.
The Panthers wouldn't go quietly, though, as Kendra Colegrove, Maddy Hillery and Harding worked the bases loaded with base hits and one out.
But force outs at home and third base consecutively ended the Panthers' threat and gave Hilbert the sweep.
Dealing all seven innings, Hribal was charged with three earned runs while allowing 10 hits and striking out one.
Pitt-Bradford will be back in action Saturday as Mount Aloysius comes to the Kessel Athletic Complex for a doubleheader that is set to start at 11 a.m.
