Bradford, Pa. -- Hannah Lathrop led the Panther offense to a 2 game sweep of AMCC foe Hilbert on Friday Afternoon. Lathrop hit a 2 run home run in the 9-1 opening victory and added two solo shots in the nightcap, which the Panthers won 8-1.

Lathrop's performance was a unique one for the Softball program. "I haven't had a player hit 3 home runs in a doubleheader in my 18 years here," said head coach Tina Phillips. "Hannah was just locked in, she is a great boost for or offense when she is on."

Game 1

• For the 11th time in 15 games this season, the Panthers were able to get on the board immediately in the first. Gabby Carpenter led off and lined a single into left field. She stole second and then moved to third on a flyball to the outfield. Following a strikeout, Lathrop came through with yet another big two-out hit. She lined a 3-2 pitch over the fence in left to put the Panthers up 2. 
• Starting pitcher Kerrigan Hoffmann was able to escape a jam with runners on 2nd and 3rd to get the Panthers back to the plate in the second, where they exploded for 5 runs. Daytona Wentzel led off with a double to left, and then Hoffmann helped her own cause, singling up the middle to bring Wentzel around.
• Following an error in left field, Kendra Colegrove singled to left to bring in Hoffmann and moved to second on another error. Gabby Carpenter continued the rally, reaching on a fielder's choice that did not record an out, and the Panthers scored a 5th run of the game when Mackenzie Bonyak scampered home after a failed pickoff attempt went down the left-field line. Lathrop brought in another run on a single up the middle, and Carpenter closed the scoring with a heads-up play on the basepaths. with one out, Lexi Peters popped up in foul territory beyond first base, after the Hilbert fielder made a tough play, Carpenter tagged up and scored to put the Panthers up 7-0.
• Hilbert was able to touch up Hoffmann for a run in the 3rd. With one out, Hilbert put runners not the corners with a double and a bloop single. Hoffmann was able to induce a ground ball but saw Lathrop unable to come up with a scoop in the dirt at first, which would have finished an inning-ending double play. She was able to get out of the inning a batter later, getting a batter looking with runners on 1st and 2nd.
• The Panthers answered back with 2 of their own n the bottom half. Bonyak reached on an error with one out, and after a flyout, Gabby Carpenter lined a triple into the gap in right-center. Chloe Cordova drew a two-out walk, and then the Panthers successfully pulled up a double steal to bring in Carpenter.
• Hoffmann would take things from there, setting down the Hawks in order in the 4th and closing things out in the 5th after allowing a one-out single. 
• Hoffmann picked up the win to move to 6-1 on the season. She allowed 1 earned run on 7 hits and no walks. She struck out three.
• Lathrop finished the game 2 for 2. She hit the big home run in the first and drove in 3 runs in the game.
• Gabby Carpenter went 2 for 3, scoring 3 runs, driving in one, and stealing 2 bases.

Game 2

• Game 2 followed a familiar pattern for the Panthers. Starting pitcher Jordan Uhing retired the side in order in the top of the first, and the Panthers took the momentum right away with 2 runs in the bottom half. Carpenter led off the game with a leadoff walk and then moved all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt from Rachel Przybysz. Faith McLaughlin brought her in with an RBI groundout to second. 
• Then, Lathrop came up with another blast. This one was a towering fly ball that went over the fence in dead center. It was her second of the day and third of the season.
• Uhing retired the side again in the 2nd, and the Panthers rewarded her by doubling her lead. Katie Marx line a single to right with one out and then moved up a base on a Bonyak single through the middle. After a bloop saw Marx forced out at third, Gabby Carpenter hit a slow grounder back up the middle. She had the play beat out for an infield single, but an error by the shortstop not eh play allowed Bonyak to score. 
• Shunk and Carpenter pulled off another double steal, this time taking 2nd and 3rd, and then Shunk was able to score on another attempted pick off that ended up in left field.
• In the 3rd, Lathrop led off the inning and tacked on another run with her third round-tripper of the day. She drilled a 1-0 pitch to left-center, which found the spectators beyond the fence. The three home runs on the day put Lathrop in a tie at the top of the AMCC leaderboard.
• The 4th inning saw Uhing give up her first hit in 10 innings. It came on a soft liner that just tipped off of the righty's glove and to shortstop, which did not allow Carpenter to make a play. The next batter dropped a bunt down, but Uhing threw the ball into centerfield trying to get the lead runner at 2nd. After the error, Hilbert ripped a double to left that scored one run. Uhing got the next Hawk looking and then got some help in left to end the threat. Bonyak made an incredible lunging play on a low line drive to record the third out and strand runners on 2nd and 3rd.
• The Panthers tacked on another run in the 5th. Lathrop drew a leadoff walk and was lifted for a pinch-runner. Abby Hinkley beat out a bunt single and advanced an extra-base as the throw to first got away after the hit. Jessica Milliron drew a walk to load the bases, and Bonyak brought in the run with a sacrifice fly to right.
• Carpenter started another rally in the 6th to add 2 more runs to Pitt-Bradford's total. She led off with a single up the middle and then stole second. She moved to third on a groundout and then scored when Pinch Hitter Hannah Fisher singled to center. The RBI single was the freshman's first collegiate hit. 
• Lathrop made a play for another homerun after the single but saw her fly ball caught in left field for the 2nd out of the inning. Hinkley then finished off the scoring as she lined a triple to centerfield.
• The final inning did not go as easily for Uhing. The first two batters of the inning reached with back-to-back singles. Hilbert dropped down a sacrifice bunt for the first out of the inning, and then Uhing got a pop-up in the infield and struck out the final batter of the game looking to bring the game to a close.
• Uhing, picked up another win to move to 6-1 on the year. She allowed just one unearned run on 4 hits, striking out 8. She is near or at the top of almost every statistical category in the conference, despite splitting appearances evenly with her classmate Hoffmann. She decreased her ERA to 1.63 and has struck out 46 batters, while only walking 5.
• Lathrop's multi-homer game was the first for Pitt-Bradford since Breana Gustin hit 2 in a 12-2 win over Hilbert in 2015. Her totals for the day were 4 for 5 with 3 home runs and 5 RBIs.
• Carpenter picked up another 2 hits and 2 runs in the nightcap. She finished the day with 4 hits, 5 runs scored, and 4 stolen bases.
• Hinkley also notched a multi-hit game, going 2 for 2 after entering as a pinch hitter in the 5th. 

The Panthers are now 12-4 on the year and 10-2 in AMCC play. They are currently leading the AMCC but would finish in the 2nd seed for the postseason if the season ends with the Panthers tied with Penn State-Behrend by virtue of their head-to-head record. The Panthers will be right back in action, as they hit the road for their weekend matchup. They head south to take on Pitt-Greensburg in another AMCC doubleheader. Gametime is set for 1:00 p.m.