FORT MYERS, Fla. - The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team split a doubleheader against Wilmington (Oh.) College, Wednesday morning at the Player Development Complex in Fort Myers.
The Panthers picked up a thrilling 10-7 victory in the opener and then fell 14-3 in the second game of the day.
Pat James led the Panthers with two hits and four RBI while Austin Parent and Tim Brown drove in two runs each. Dalton Renn chipped in with three hits and Jay Clinger drove in one run in the opener.
Matt Hogue pitched well, allowing three earned runs while striking out three. Jonathan Polanco picked up the win with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.
Wilmington scored the game's first two runs with one run in the second and another in the fourth to take a 2-0 lead.
Pitt-Bradford exploded for six runs in the bottom of the fourth. Clinger started the rally with a double to left-center while Renn scored on a throwing error. Later in the inning James crushed a three-run triple to right-center and scored on a throwing error to give the Panthers a 6-2 lead after four innings of play.
Wilmington answered with one run in the sixth and Parent gave the Panthers the run right back with an RBI double to center in the home half, making it a 7-3 ballgame.
The Quakers made things interesting with four runs in the top of the eighth, tying the game at 7-7.
However, the game wasn't tied long. James again gave the Panthers a lead, this time by legging out an infield single. Brown then sealed the deal with a two-run single to center, giving Pitt-Bradford the 10-7 lead and eventually the win.
The Quakers were a much better team in the second game, taking an early lead and never giving it back.
Brown led the Panthers with a three-run homer while Jay Clinger had two hits in the loss.
Luke Rouda pitched well in his first appearance out of the bullpen, allowing just two runs on five hits while striking out two over the final four innings.
The Panthers return to action Monday for a doubleheader with Salem State at Terry Park in Fort Myers.
