Houghton, N.Y. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team took advantage of unseasonably warm weather in the region, traveling to Houghton for a 9-inning contest against the Highlanders. Despite falling behind early, the Panthers rallied to score 10 unanswered runs on the way to an 11-3 victory.

After a double play ended the Panthers' first inning, the Highlanders took a 1-0 lead off starting pitcher Brandon Amidon-Crawford. After a one-out walk and stolen base, Amidon-Crawford seemed to be out of trouble as he struck out the next batter, but a full count, 2-out double drove in the run.

The Panthers were able to come right back in the 2nd to tie the game. Evan Fragela led off the inning with a walk and then following a Justin Dattoli walk, stole third. He was able to score a batter later, as Trent Bielak singled into right field. Amidon-Crawford picked up a big shutdown inning in the 2nd and was rewarded as the Panthers took the lead in their next at bat. The Panthers took advantage of back-to-back walks to Nico Hall and Kevin Rehak and then took the lead when Fragela dropped a single into center. 

In the 3rd, head coach Zach Foster began to use his bullpen, as he used 7 pitchers for an inning each to close the game. Joe Long, Kyler Majka, Shawn MAnnering, Brayden Hageter, and Maddox Stadler all kept the hosts off the board in their inning, limiting Houghton to two hits and a walk over the 5-inning stretch. 

The Panthers extended their lead to 2 runs in the 4th, as Andrew Bokulich brought in David Gebhard on a sacrifice fly. After two quiet innings, the Panthers exploded for 4 runs in the 7th. Hall led off the inning by ripping a double into the gap and then stole third in the next at-bat. He scored later in the at-bat as Rehak hit a double of his own. The Panthers loaded the bases on a Fragela Walk and a fielding error on a sacrifice bunt before Justin Smulik pinch hit for Bielak and singled into left field to bring in Rehak. After a pop-up in the infield, Matt Ranallo entered the game as a pinch hitter and lined a single into left field to bring in two more runs. 

After Stadler worked around a fielding error and a single to put up an important shutdown inning, the Panthers continued adding to their lead, scoring 3 more in the 8th. Hall and Rehak once again drew back-to-back walks with one out before Fragela brought in another run on a single to center. Rehak was caught stealing third for the second out of the inning, but following an Alex Colwell walk, Smulik drove a deep fly ball to dead center for a 2-run triple, giving the Panthers a 10-1 lead. 

Jacob Sherdel allowed two runs in the 8th, but The Panthers were able to get one back without the benefit of a hit in the 9th. They loaded the bases through a pair of one-out walks and a hit batter before Fragela picked up his third RBI of the game, drawing a bases-loaded walk. Patrick Synan pitched a scoreless 9th to close the game.

Evan Fragela reached base 5 times in the game, finishing 2 for 3 with a pair of RBI singles, 3 runs scored, 3 walks, and 3 RBIs. Justin Smulik went 2 for 2 with a triple and 3 runs batted in. Nico Hall scored 3 times in the game and stole 4 bases.  Amidon-Crawford picked up the win for the Panthers. As a staff, the Panthers allowed 6 hits, 3 walks, and 2 earned runs. They struck out 9.

The Panthers start their season 1-0. They will head south this weekend, as they travel to Randolph-Macon for a three-game set. They will start with a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 12:00 p.m.