Bradford, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team celebrated Senior Day on Sunday, as they split an AMCC doubleheader with LaRoche. The Panthers won game one 7-6 on a walk-off in extra innings, before falling 8-1 in game two.
Game 1 -
In the first contest of the day, the Panthers fell behind right away but were able to battle back three times before taking a lead in the fifth. After the visitors came back to tie the game in the 7th, the Panthers pushed across the winning run in the 8th to take the game 7-6.
The Redhawks took the lead off of starter Kyler Majka in the first, using an infield single, an error, and two walks to take an early 1-0 lead. The Panthers were able to put runners on base through singles in the first and second innings, but could not move them into scoring position in either frame. Majka kept the deficit at one run through the third, working around a two-out walk in the 2nd before setting down the side in order in the 3rd.
The Panthers loaded the bases before an out could be recorded to start the third. Kevin Rehak led off with a single to center and then moved to third when Nico Hall doubled into the gap. After Andrew Bokulich walked to load the bases, the Panthers' rally came to a quick end with only one run scoring. Maxwell Rogers hit a hard line drive, but it was right at the third baseman for the first out. Evan Fragela then delivered a sacrifice fly to right field, tying the game at 1. The next batter was retired on a fly ball to center, stranding runners on the corners.
The Redhawks retook the lead in the 4th, as the second batter of the inning hit a towering home run down the left field line. Majka settled down after the long ball and got the final two outs. The Panthers came right back in the bottom of the inning. Bret Babcock drew a one-out walk and then moved to second as David Gebhard reached on an error. After a flyball to center, Hall dropped a single into left center, bringing in Babcock to tie the game.
The visitors once again retook the lead in the following inning. Majka walked the leadoff batter, but after a strikeout gave up a single and hit a batter to load the bases. Majka was relieved after LaRoche regained the lead on a sacrifice fly, and was replaced by Brayden Hageter. Hageter was able to strand runners on the corners, as he got the final out of the inning on a fielder's choice.
Maxwell Rogers led off the 5th with an infield single, and the inning seemed to come to a quick end as Fragela grounded into a double play, but the Panthers rallied with two outs. Trent Bielak began the run with a walk and then moved to second when Justin Dattoli singled to left center. Babcock registered his 2nd hit of the game to load the bases with a single down the right-field line. With the bases full, David Gebhard dropped a single into centerfield ahead of a diving outfielder, scoring two runs and giving the Panthers their first lead of the game. After a pitching change, Kevin Rehak hit a pop-up into short right, which was dropped in the outfield allowing two more runs to score.
Armed with a 6-3 lead, Hageter returned to the mound and posted an important shutdown inning in the 6th. After hitting the leadoff batter with a pitch, Hageter retired the next three in short order to put up a zero. In the bottom half, the Panthers went down 1-2-3 sending the game to the 7th.
In the 7th, the Panthers struggled early, eventually allowing 3 runs to tie the game. Hageter hit the leadoff batter for the second straight inning and then walked the next Redhawk. LaRoche loaded the bases as an error at 2nd base before they cut the lead to 1 with a double to left-center. Brandon Amidon-Crawford entered the game up one but quickly saw the lead erased on a sacrifice fly to center for the first out. Following a single, the Redhawks failed to get down a suicide squeeze, which led to the runner being tagged out at home for the second out. A batter later, Amidon-Crawford ended the inning on a fly ball to right. The Panthers put a pair of runners on in the 7th through Babcock's 3rd hit of the game and a batter hit by a pitch, but a lineout to right and a fly ball to center sent the game into extra innings.
Amidon-Crawford worked around a one-out walk to put up a 0 in the 8th, setting up a thrilling finish for the Panthers. Rogers started the rally with a double to left center, and then the Panthers loaded the bases with back-to-back infield hits from Fragela and Bielak. After a strikeout, defensive replacement Kyle Kimoto came to the plate with a chance to win the game. After a tough at-bat, Kimoto lined a single through the right side that deflected off of an outstretched LaRoche glove, bringing in Rogers to win the game 7-6.
Brandon Amidon-Crawford (3-2) picked up the win after two scoreless innings in relief. Starter Kyler Majka lasted 4.2 innings, allowing 3 runs, 2 earned, on 3 hits and 4 walks. He struck out 4 batters. Brayden Hhageter threw 1.1 innings, allowing 3 runs on a hit and a walk. Bret Babcock reached base in all four of his at-bats, registering three singles and a walk while scoring twice. Nico Hall had 3 hits as well, finishing 3 for 5 with a double and an RBI. Kyle Kimoto had the game-winning hit in his only at-bat of the game.
Game 2-
The Panther offense struggled to get started in game two, as they were held off the board through 6 innings. In that span, LaRoche slowly built a lead throughout the game, eventually winning the game 8-1.
Shawn Mannering started the game for the Panthers and ran into trouble early. After striking out the first batter of the game, the next two batters reached base with a single and a walk. Mannering struck out his second batter of the frame following a wild pitch and then loaded the bases with another walk. He was able to escape the inning unscathed as he induced a ground out to end the inning. The Panthers went down quickly in the 1st, as only Rogers reached on a hit-by-pitch.
LaRoche put a pair of runners on again in the 2nd, but Mannering was able to strike out two straight to end the inning and leave them stranded. Following a 1-2-3 inning for the Panthers, the Redhawks were able to explode for 3 runs in the 3rd. The first two batters of the inning singled and then advanced to second and third on a passed ball. Both scored on an error in the infield, giving the guests a 2-0 lead. Mannering got the first out of the inning on a chopper to third, but the Redhawks added another run to their lead with a single up the middle.
Another quick inning for the Panthers brought LaRoche back to the plate and they quickly tacked on another run to their advantage. Mannering struck out a batter after an infield single, but a walk, followed by another hit brought in the 4th run. Mannering walked the next batter but was able to get a 5-5-3 double play from Justin Dattoli at third to end the inning. The Panthers were able to register their first hit of the game in the bottom half as Bokulich singled to shortstop, but he was quickly erased as a sliding play on a short pop-up in the infield led to a double play. The double play would loom large, as the next batter, Evan Fragela, hit a double down the right field line that would have likely scored a run. He was stranded on second as the third out was recorded on a grounder to 2nd.
In the 5th, LaRoche added another run to their lead. A leadoff single and a walk put runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs and brought Mannering's day to a close. He was replaced by Joe Long, who struggled to find his control early on as he forced in a run with a walk and a hit batter. After the run scored, he was able to settle down and strike out two straight to leave the bases loaded. Kevin Rehak hit a one-out single to left in the bottom half, but he was erased on an inning-ending double play a batter later.
Long was replaced by Austin Kitcey to start the 6th, and he quickly retired the first two batters he faced. Kitcey walked the next batter and then saw the runner move to third on a wild pitch and a throwing error. He was able to strand the runner at third and post a 0 for the Panthers as he got the next batter to ground out to first. The Panthers put a pair of runners on in the 6th, as Nico Hall singled through the left side and Andrew Bokulich drew a walk, but the Inning came to a quick finish on a ground ball and a pop-up, keeping the Panthers off the board.
Kitcey returned to the mound for his second inning of work for the 7th. He hit the leadoff batter, who was quickly thrown out trying to steal 2nd. The Redhawks restarted the inning with a single through the left side and then pushed their lead to six after a wild pitch with a single to right. The next batter hit a line drive into center, which saw Nico Hall slip on the grass, resulting in a run-scoring triple. A sacrifice fly brought home the 3rd run of the frame before Kitcey got the final out on another fly ball to center field.
Needing 8 runs in the final inning, Pitt-Bradford was able to rally to score one, but could not cut into the lead any further. Justin Dattoli dropped a single into left field and then moved to third base as he took advantage of a bobble in the outfield on a Rehak single to center. Bret Babcock came up next and hit a deep fly ball to center that was caught, but allowed Dattoli to score for a sacrifice fly. Jake Soricone drew a walk with two outs to continue the rally, but Hall went down on strikes to end the game.
Shawn Mannering (1-5) picked up the loss after allowing 5 runs, 4 earned, in 4.1 innings pitched. He struck out 7. Joe Long struck out two batters in .2 innings of work, While Austin Kitcey threw the final 2 frames, allowing 3 runs. The Panthers had 6 hits in the game, led by Kevin Rehak who had two. Bret Babcock drove in Justin Dattoli for the Panthers' lone run.
In between contests, the Panthers took a moment to recognize 6 graduating seniors. They honored Payton Crays, Justin Dattoli, Kai Joseph, Kyler Majka, and Kevin Rehak, who were presented gifts from their teammates and were accompanied by family and friends.
The split moves the Panthers to 7-22 on the season, with a 4-8 record in AMCC play. They will have the next week off for finals, before returning to action on Monday, May 1st in a crucial doubleheader at Pitt-Greensburg.
