Posted: May 02, 2022
Greensburg, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford clinched their spot in the AMCC Championship Tournament on Monday as they split a doubleheader at Pitt-Greensburg.
Game 1:
Pitt-Bradford fell behind early in game one but was able to score 8 unanswered to jump ahead and win 8-5.
- The Panthers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first as they scored on a hit, error, and wild pitch. With two outs, Daytona Wentzel grounded a single through the left side of the infield. Lexi Peters then hit a short popup that is displayed in the infield, and kicked into foul territory, allowing Wentzel to move all the way to third base. She scored during the next at-bat as the Bobcat starter uncorked a wild pitch.
- Kindra Wessels kept the Bobcats off the board in the first, working around a 2-out single to record the shutdown inning. After the Panthers were set down in order in the second, Wessels was able to work around back-to-back two-out singles to strand two runners on base and keep the Panthers ahead.
- The Panthers went down in order for the second straight time in the third before the Bobcats exploded for 4 runs in the bottom half of the inning. They took advantage of 3 Panther errors to score the runs. The first three of the frame came before Wessels could record an out, but she was able to settle down and limit the Pitt-Greensburg scoring, retiring 3 of 4 to end the inning.
- Trailing 4-1, the Panthers were able to strike back in the 4th, tying the game up after their half of the inning. Following an error and fielder's choice, the Panthers loaded the bases with an Imani Jackson walk and a KT Marx single. The first run of the inning scored on a dropped infield fly and Maddison Camp singled through the left side to bring in both runners and tie the game. Chloe Cordova hit a hard line drive into right field, but it was right at the Bobcat defender to end the inning.
- Wessels was able to put up another shutdown inning, working around a single and a walk with one out to keep the game tied and get the Panthers back into the batter's box.
- The Panthers used the momentum from the shutdown inning to take the lead in the 5th. Wessels led off the inning with a walk and quickly moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt. Lexi Peters delivered a two-out single to right to bring in Wessels and put the Panthers back in front. Wessels stranded two more runners in the bottom half to keep the Bobcats at bay.
- Pitt-Bradford kept rolling in the 6th, tacking 3 runs onto their lead. KT Marx led the inning off with a double to center and scored a batter later as Paige Wertheimer dropped down a sacrifice bunt and was hit by the throw to first, allowing her to reach on an error and Marx to score. Camp recorded her second single of the day to continue the rally and Cordova drove a double into the gap in left-center to bring Wertheimer around. With runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out, Faith McLaughlin dropped down a safety squeeze bunt, allowing Camp to score.
- Wessels allowed a one-out double in the 6th but left the runner on base as the next two Bobcats were retired on a groundout and a pop-up.
- After the Panthers were kept off the board in the 7th, the Bobcats used 3 hits, including a double to cut the lead to 3. Wessels retired the final two batters on flyballs to the outfield to bring the game to a close.
Kindra Wessels (5-8) picked up the win after allowing 5 runs, 1 earned, on 11 hits in a complete-game effort. She struck out 2. Madison Camp finished the game 2 for 3 with 2 runs batted in and another scored. KT Marx also had a multi-hit game, finishing 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored.
Game 2:
The Panthers fell behind the Bobcats once more in the second game of the day but were not able to complete a second straight comeback, ultimately falling 9-5.
- The Panthers struggled to regain their rhythm at the plate in the second game as they were limited to an error and a walk in their first two at-bats. Their first true threat came in the 3rd. Faith McLaughlin and Daytona Wentzel hit back-to-back singles but were left on base as the inning came to an end on a groundout to short.
- Ashley Stein was able to keep the Bobcats off the board for the first two innings but allowed the first run of the game in the 3rd. After retiring the leadoff batter, Stein gave up a double to right-center. The next batter flew out to left, but a two-out single into right-center brought the go-ahead run around from second.
- The Panthers were quickly set down on three straight groundouts in the 3rd, and the Bobcats jumped on the momentum, scoring 5 runs in the 3rd. They used 5 hits, including two doubles to go along with a walk to score the runs.
- Following the big inning, the Panthers were able to break the Bobcat run, scoring a run in the 5th. Rachel Przybysz led off the frame with a walk and moved to third on an error in the infield. With runners on the corners and one out, McLaughlin delivered a sacrifice fly to center to bring in Przybysz.
- Meghan Kapp replaced Stein in the 5th and used a double play to erase a leadoff bunt single to end the inning after three batters.
- Pitt-Bradford continued to cut into the lead in the 6th, scoring two more runs. Lexi Peters started the inning with a walk and moved to third on a double to centerfield from Marguerite DeFranco. The next two batters were retired on a shallow fly ball and line out to third, but Przybysz was able to reach on a fielding error with two outs, allowing both runners to score.
- Kapp got two quick outs in the 6th, but after a walk, was replaced by Stein who reentered after her substitution an inning earlier. Stein was unable to get out of the inning as the next four batters reached on 4 hits, three singles, and a double, scoring three more runs.
- Down 6, the Panthers were able to push two runs across to cut into the lead. Madison Camp led off the inning with a pinch-hit double to right and was replaced don't eh bases by Kindra Wessels, who she pinch-hit for. She moved to third on an Imani Jackson pinch-hit single through the left side and scored on an RBI groundout from Lexi Peters. DeFranco delivered a single through the right side to bring in the 2nd run of the inning before the game came to an end on a strikeout.
Ashley Stein (5-6) picks up the loss after allowing 8 earned on 12 hits in 4.1 innings pitched. Meghan Kapp threw 1.2 innings in relief and allowed one run. Marguerite DeFranco was the only Panther with multiple hits, as she finished 2 for 4 with a double, RBI, and run scored. Madison Camp also had a double in the game.
With the split, the Panthers (10-22, 6-8 AMCC) have clinched the 5-seed in the upcoming AMCC Tournament. Before they head into the postseason, they have one final scheduled matchup, as they will take on Hilbert. The doubleheader has been moved to Thursday, May 5th at 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. in Hamburg, N.Y.