Naples, Fla. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford softball team completed one of the best Spring Break trips in program history, as they won two more games to finish the week 9-2. They started the day by winning a 6-inning slugfest over Lesley 18-8, and then eked out a 5-3 win over WestConn in their Florida finale.
Game 1: Pitt-Bradford 18 - Lesley 8
Pitt-Bradford started their last day of competition in Florida with a bang, knocking out 16 hits en route to an 18-8 win over Lesley.
The Panthers were scoring from the start, as they pushed 2 runs across in the first inning. Miranda Groll led off the game by ripping a double down the left-field line. She moved to third on a wild pitch and then after a strikeout and a walk, scored on a wild pitch. Lexi Peters, who drew the walk moved to second on the same wild pitch and then scored when Lilly Hamels dropped a single into right center.
Sandra Watne started the game for Pitt-Bradford in the circle. Despite being staked a two-run lead, Watne ran into trouble early. The leadoff batter for the Lynx doubled to left and then moved to third on a single through the left side. The next batter dropped down a bunt and beat the throw for a single while bringing in a run. The next batter lined a single to center to tie the game at 2. Watne was able to settle down after the 4 straight hits, retiring the next three batters in a row to end the frame.
Back in the dugout tied at two, the Panthers exploded in the 2nd for 6 runs. Anna Bokulich started the inning with a walk before the Panthers loaded the bases with a fielding error and another free pass. Lexi Peters came through with the big hit, lining a triple into the gap in right-center to clear the bases. She scored a batter later when Hamels hit her second RBI single into left field. Krislyn Clement continued the rally with a line drive up the middle before Meghan Kapp blooped a single down the right-field line. The Panthers added one more run in the inning on a double steal.
Watne walked the lead-off batter to start the 2nd but was able to work around the runner and post a shutdown inning. The Panthers continued building momentum in the 3rd, putting up their second consecutive six-run inning. Lexi Najdusak started the frame with an infield single and then Groll and Sarah Stroup reached on free passes to load the bases. Peters and Hamels both singled in a run to chase the Lesley starting pitcher. Clement welcomed the new arm with a 3-run double down the line and was able to move to third on a throw to the plate. Two batters later, she scored on an RBI groundout from Morgan Maybee.
The Lynx cut into the 12-run Panther lead in the bottom of the inning. Lesley registered 3 hits in the inning, scoring their first run on an RBI single and then tallying a second on a wild pitch later in the inning. The Lynx still had runners on first and third with one out, but Wante retired the next two batters on line drives to the infield.
Pitt-Bradford was kept off the board in the 4th, leaving Stroup at first after a two-out single. Watne remained in the game for the 4th inning and was tagged for 3 more runs on 4 hits and a pair of Panther errors. The inning started with an error in the infield, which was followed by a run-scoring double. Watne got the first out of the inning on a groundout to third, but the Lynx added three straight singles to score two more times. She was able to escape the inning after the third run scored, striking out one batter before ending the inning with a line drive to center.
Leading by 7, the Panthers pushed one run across in the 5th to set up an early finish. Clement singled to center with one out and then scored a batter later when Kendall Dotson doubled into left center. Bri Heller replaced Watne to start the 5th and struck out the first batter she faced. After a single through the right side, Heller struck out another batter to edge closer to a win. She was not able to finish up the game, however, as the next batter doubled into right center, bringing in the run and extending the game into the 6th inning. Heller struck out the next batter to finish the inning.
The Panthers answered in the top of the 6th, scoring 3 more times in the inning. Najdusak walked to start the inning and then took third on a single from Stroup. After Stroup stole second base, Grace Gardner hit a sacrifice fly to left field to bring in Najdusak. Lizzy Hoovler followed with an RBI single to short and then scored when Clement tripled to deep right field. Heller returned to the circle and retired the side in order to finish the game.
Sandra Watne (2-2) received the win after allowing 7 runs, 6 earned in 4.0 innings pitched. She struck out three. Bri Heller pitched the final two innings, allowing 1 earned run while striking out 4. Krislyn Clement finished the game 4 for 5 with two extra-base hits, 4 RBIs and 3 runs scored. Lilly Hamels had 3 hits in 3 at-bats with 3 RBIs. Lexi Peters finished 2 for 3 with 3 runs scored and 4 driven in. Sara Stroup also had 2 hits and scored 3 times.
Game 2: Pitt-Bradford 5 - WestConn 3
After the high-scoring win in Game One, the Panthers took on WestConn in their final game of the trip. The Panthers took an early lead in the game and then held on late to win 5-3.
Meghan Kapp started the game for the Panthers and made quick work of the Wolves in the top of the first, setting down the side in order. In the bottom of the inning, the Panthers took advantage of an early error to take a 1-0 lead. Groll led off the contest and reached on a fielding error at second base. She moved to second base on a wild pitch, but was kept at 2nd as the next two batters were retired on a strikeout and a pop-up in the infield. Hitting in the cleanup spot, Lilly Hamels came through again, driving a single through the left side to bring in Groll.
Kapp was not able to keep the Panthers in front in the 2nd, as WestConn rallied for one run. The Panthers got two outs on a fly ball and a runner caught stealing after a single, but the Wolves rallied with two outs. Kapp walked a batter and then gave up a double to left center to bring the runner in from first and tie the game. She was able to get the final out of the inning on a groundout to keep the game tied.
Pitt-Bradford responded in the bottom of the inning, taking advantage of 2 errors to score 3 times. The Panthers loaded the bases right away as Hannah Fisher, Heller, and Ciera Adams all reached on free passes. The Wolves made a pitching change after the third free pass and NAjdusak welcomed the new pitcher with a single to right. Later in the inning, the Panthers added three more runs on errors in the infield to go ahead 5-1.
Moving into the top of the 3rd, Kapp struggled to restart, walking the first batter and then giving up a bunt single with an error that put runners on the corners. Following a steal, the Wolves brought in their second run with a single up the middle. Kapp picked up the first out of the inning and then induced a fly ball to left which scored a run on a sacrifice. She finished the inning a batter later on a ground out to short.
Ciera Adams singled with two outs in the third, but the Panthers were not able to do any damage. Krislyn Clement replaced Kapp to start the fourth and gave up a leadoff single. She retired the next three batters, making a strong defensive play to get the lead runner on a sacrifice bunt attempt and then striking out two batters to end the inning.
Pitt-Bradford was only able to muster a single in the 4th and 5th innings, while Clement kept the Panthers in front with another 0 in the top of the 5th, despite allowing two singles. Both teams put a runner on base in the 6th with a hit, but could not bring the runner around to score, keeping the score 5-3 heading into the 7th.
In the final inning, Clement started strong with a strikeout of the leadoff batter. She then ran into some trouble, as the next batter doubled and then had to remain at 2nd as her hit was followed by a bloop single in front of Groll in center. The Wolves put the go-ahead run on base with a Panther error, but Clement was able to settle down. She struck out the next WestConn batter swinging and then induced a grounder to 2nd to end the game.
Krislyn Clement received the win after throwing 4 scoreless innings in relief. She struck out 6 batters. Meghan Kapp picked up a no-decision, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits in 3 innings of work. Sara Stroup led the Panthers with 2 hits, while scoring one run and driving in another. Lilly Hamels and Lexi Najdusak both went 1 for 3 with a run batted in.
The Panthers finish the Florida trip with a 10-4 record. They are scheduled to be back in action on Wednesday, March 20th with a home doubleheader against Westminster. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
