Chambersburg, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team brought its 2023 campaign to a close on Tuesday afternoon, as they lost a pair of games against Wilson College. The Panthers erased a 6-run deficit before falling 8-7 on a walk-off hit in game one and then dropped their season finale 7-1.

Game 1

The Panthers started the opener off on a good note as they took a 1-0 lead in the first. Kevin Rehak put the Panthers ahead in the top of the inning, blasting a home run into left field before starting pitcher Patrick Synan worked around an infield single to post a shutdown inning in the bottom of the frame.

The hosts were able to tie the game at one in the next inning. The Panthers were set down quietly in the top of the inning as only Aaron Hair reached base when he was hit by a pitch. The Phoenix started the inning off with back-to-back singles and then tied the game after a fielder's choice put runners on the corners and a sacrifice fly tied the game at 1. Synan struck out the next batter to avoid further damage. 

The Panthers fell behind in the middle innings as they were held without a hit in the third, fourth, and fifth innings. Wilson took the lead in the third with a two-run home run and then after being retired in order in the 4th, tacked on four more runs in the 5th to push their lead to 7-1. The inning started with an error in the infield, and then after a single put runners on the corners again, the Phoenix hit another sacrifice fly to extend their lead to four.

Synan lost his command after the sacrifice fly, and he loaded the bases on a walk and a hit batter before being replaced on the mound by Brayden Hageter. Hageter got off to a rough start, as all three inherited runners scored on a bases-loaded walk, a balk, and a single. He saw the inning come to a close after the single, as the next batter lined into a double play at first base.

Trailing by 6, the Panthers rallied in the top of the 6th inning, scoring 5 times to cut the lead down to one run. Kevin Rehak led off the inning with a single and then after he stole second, consecutive walks to Evan Fragela and Justin Dattoli loaded the bases. Trent Bielak drove in the first run of the frame with a sacrifice fly to right, and then following a hit batter, Hair brought in the second with an RBI groundout. David Gebhard continued the rally with a run-scoring single up the middle. Pinch Hitter Blake Prestash drew a walk to reload the bases once again before Nico Hall came to the plate. Hall hit a ground ball to short but hustled down the line to beat the throw for a single and drive in a run. The throw to first on the play was low and got away from the first basemen, allowing Gebhard to scamper home for the 5th and final run of the inning.

Now trailing by one run, Hageter returned to the mound in the 6th, and despite a leadoff walk, posted a huge shutdown inning to keep the deficit at one heading into the 7th. The Phoneix moved the leadoff runner into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, but Hageter retired the next two batters on fly balls to right field to end the inning.

Evan Fragela led off the 7th inning with a single through the left side of the infield, and then as the next batter went down on strikes, stole second base to move into scoring position. The Panthers were down to their final out after a fly ball to center field, but Bret Babcock was able to ground a single into left field to bring in Fragela and tie the game at 7.

Jacob Sherdel took over for Hageter in the 7th and was not able to keep the game going. He retired the first two batters of the frame, but after an error in the infield put the winning run on second, Wilson was able to bring in the winning run with a single through the left side to finish the game. 

Jacob Sherdel (0-4) received the loss after allowing the winning run on an error and a single. Starting pitcher Patrick Synan lasted 4.1 innings, allowing 7 runs, 6 earned, while striking out two. Brayden Hageter pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. Kevin Rehak was the only Panther to record a multi-hit game as he had the home run in the 1st and the rally-starting single in the 6th. He scored twice and had 1 RBI. Evan Fragela also scored twice, while Bret Babcock drove in the tying run in the 7th. 

Game 2:

The Panthers took advantage of a wild start in game two to take an early lead, but could not find their rhythm afterward, as they were held to one hit over the final 6 innings against four different Wilson pitchers, eventually losing the game 7-1.

The Panthers quickly loaded the bases in the 1st, as the first three batters of the game reached base on free passes. Trent Bielak gave the Panthers the lead with a single to left, but the Panthers could not tack on any more runs, as the next three batters went down in order.

Brandon Amidon-Crawford started the game on the hill for the Panthers, and in a similar fashion to game one, posted a shutdown inning in the bottom of the first. Despite allowing the leadoff batter to reach on a single, he induced two straight ground balls that resulted in a fielder's choice before ending the inning with a fly ball to center.

The Panthers loaded the bases again in the 2nd as they drew three more walks around a pair of strikeouts, but Bielak was not able to come up with another run-scoring hit with two outs, as his line drive was snagged by the second basemen, ending the inning.

Using the momentum from stranding the bases loaded in the 2nd, Wilson took the lead in the bottom half before the Panthers could record an out. After a leadoff single and a walk, the Phoneix jumped in front with a double to right center, scoring both runners. They added a third run two batters later using a wild pitch and an RBI groundout.

In the third, the Panthers stranded a pair after back-to-back one-out walks. Amidon Crawford was able to keep the deficit at two runs, retiring the side in the bottom of the inning on three straight fly balls. Pitt-Bradford went down in order in the 4th, and then Wilson tacked on a run in the fourth with a pair of singles, a stolen base, and a sacrifice fly. 

The Panthers got their second hit of the game in the 5th, as Justin Dattoli hit a two-out single through the left side. He was able to move into scoring position on a wild pitch but was left stranded as the inning ended later in the at-bat on a strikeout. Amidon-Crawford posted another zero in the 5th, as he worked around an infield single. 

After Wilson struck out the side in the 6th, they were able to add three insurance runs in the bottom of the inning off of reliever Joe Long. Long retired two batters around a single to start the inning, but then ran into trouble, as the Phoneix loaded the bases with another hit, followed by a walk. The next batter drove in a pair on a single to left, and the n Wilson added the third run of the frame as the throw on a stolen base attempt was errant at third, allowing the runner to advance to home. Long was able to strand a final runner at third as he struck out the next batter to end the inning. 

Needing another rally to tie the game in the 7th, the Panthers went down quickly to end the game. Rehak was retired on a popup for the first out, and then after a Fragela walk, pinch hitter Payton Crays grounded into a game-ending double play.

Brandon Amidon-Crawford (3-3) picked up the loss after allowing 4 earned runs on 6 hits in 5.0 innings pitched. Joe Long allowed 3 runs, 2 earned in one inning of work. Trent Bielak drove in the only run for the Panthers with his single in the first. Justin Dattoli had the other Panther hit, while Evan Fragela reached three times on walks. 

The Panthers season comes to a close with a 7-26 record. Their 4-10 record in AMCC play put them out of the postseason tournament by a game, as they finished in a tie for 7th.