Waynesburg, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford was in action in Waynesburg, Pa. on Saturday, as they faced Fredonia in a neutral site doubleheader. The Panthers could held two late leads, but could not hold off the Blue Devils, dropping the opener 10-9 on a walkoff. They responded with a dominating game two, hitting 3 home runs en route to a 10-2 win.
Game 1
The Panthers fell behind early in the opener as they went down in order in the top of the first, and then starter Patrick Synan was tagged for 3 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks. He was able to limit the damage however, finishing the inning with two straight strikeouts. The Panthers came right back in the next half-inning, scoring twice to cut the lead to 1. Maxwell Rogers was hit by a pitch to start the inning and then scored two batters later on a Blake Prestash single. The Panthers then loaded the bases after Kyle Kimoto singled and Jake Soricone was hit by a pitch. Prestash scored a batter later when Nico Hall reached on an error.
Fredonia pushed their lead back to two with a run on two hits, a balk, and a wild pitch. Evan Fragela was able to get the run back in the next frame, leading off the inning with a long home run to left field, his first of the year. Pitt-Bradford threatened to tiw the game as Rogers followed with a double and then they loaded the bases on two free passes, but a strikeout and a grounder to short left the runners stranded. Synan was able to retire the side in order in the 3rd before the Panthers threatened to score again in the 4th. Hall led off the inning with a single and moved to third on an error in the outfield and a flyout from Andrew Bokulich. With Fragela at the plate, he tried to scamper home on a wild pitch but was called out at the plate.
The Panthers would rue the missed opportunity, as Fredonia welcomed relief pitcher Brandon-Amidon Crawford with a two-run home run before an out was recorded. Amidon-Crawford was able to settle down, ending the inning while allowing just one more single. In the 5th, the Panthers stranded a pair of runners, but Amidon-Crawford was able to keep the Blue Devils off the board in the bottom half to keep the deficit at three.
In the 6th, the Panthers were able to rally, scoring three times to tie the game. Hall once again started the frame with a single, and two batters later, scored on a Fragela single. Fragela was able to move up to third on a wild pitch as Rogers drew a walk and then scored when Bret Babcock ripped a single down the line. Both Panthers moved into scoring position on a passed ball before Prestash tied the game with a sacrifice fly. Despite a leadoff walk in the bottom half, Amidon Crawford was able to strand the runner on second base and post a shutdown inning, sending the game to the 7th tied at 6.
Pitt-Bradford took their first lead in the 7th, without the benefit of a hit. Hall drew a one-out walk and then moved to third on a balk and a stolen base. Bokulich brought him in later in the at-bat, driving a sacrifice fly to center field. Ben Suter replaced Amidon-Crawford in the 7th, looking to shut the door for a save, but quickly ran into trouble as Fredonia loaded the bases on two singles and a hit batter. Suter allowed the tying run to score a batter later on a walk. He was able to escape the jam and send the game into extra innings, as he first started a 1-2-3 double play and then induced an inning-ending groundout.
The Panthers were unable to score in the top of the 8th, stranding Prestash and Kimoto who walked and singled in the frame. Brayden Hageter entered the game in the 8th and allowed a leadoff single. A bunt moved the potential winning run into scoring position, but Hageter got some help on the next play as after a single to left, Soricone was able to throw out the runner attempting to score at the plate.
Moving to the 9th, the Panthers were once again able to take the lead, scoring twice in the frame. Fragela and Babcock each drew a walk, and then scored as Prestash served another RBI single into the outfield. Fragela easily scored on the play, and Babcock was able to round the bases as the hit was misplayed in the outfield. Hageter went back to the mound for his second inning of work, but could not hold onto the lead as he gave up a leadoff double and then a game-tying home run. Logan McConnell replaced Hageter after the long ball and retired three straight.
The Panthers went down in order in the 10th but then fell victim to a one-out rally in the bottom half. After retiring the leadoff batter on a grounder to third, McConnell allowed the Blue Devils to load the bases with a walk and a pair of singles. The next batter was able to serve a flyball to center, but Hall was not able to deliver a strike to home plate, as the winning run scored on the sacrifice fly.
Logan McConnell (0-2) picked up the loss after allowing the winning run in 1.2 innings of work. Patrick Synan and Brandon Amidon-Craword both struck out three batters in three innings of work. Offensively, Evan Fragela led the Way for the Panthers. He finished 2 for 4 with a home run, 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored. He also walked twice. Blake Prestash was 2 for 3 and drove in 3 runs. Kyle Kimoto registered 3 hits in the loss, while Nico Hall and Bret Babcock each had 2.
Game 2
The second game of the day got off to a much quieter start, as starting pitcher Shawn MAnnering used a double play and a strikeout to post a 0 in the first frame. The Panthers went down in order in the bottom of the inning, but MAnnering stayed dominant, striking out the side in the 2nd to quickly get the Panthers back to the plate.
Once at the dish, the Panthers exploded, using the long ball to score 5 runs in the frame. Rogers led off the inning with a double, and then Babcock put the Panthers on the board, driving a high fly ball over the fence in right for a 2-run blast. It was his first of the season and his career. The rally continued after the long ball, as Prestash singled and then Maddox Stadler reached on an error. Noah Avey brought in the 3rd run of the frame as he was retired on a diving play at first base, robbing him of extra bases. The next batter, Hall crushed a hanging breaking ball deep to left for another two-run shot, putting the Panthers up 5-0.
Mannering worked around a pair of walks in the 3rd inning to post an important shutdown frame, and he was rewarded in the bottom half, as Fragela hit his 2nd home run of the day on a line drive to left. Mannering struck out two more in the 4th, while he got some help from his battery mate, Avey, who threw out a potential base stealer. The Panthers tacked on 3 more runs in the bottom of the inning. They loaded the bases on a Kimoto single, followed by an error and another hit for Hall. Bokulich drove in a pair of runs with a single back up the middle and then Hall scored the Panthers' 9th of the game on a wild pitch.
The Blue Devils were finally able to get to Mannering in the 5th, as a two-out double brought in a pair of runners who reached on free passes. Pitt-Bradford was able to get one of the runs back in the bottom of the frame. With two outs, pinch hitter Owen Dombrosky reached on an infield single and then scored two batters later on a Hall single.
After a leadoff single, MAnnering was able to retire two straight batters, but after a two-out walk, he was removed from the game and replaced by Joe Long. Long retired the only batter he faced. With a large lead, and daylight running out, the Panthers were declared the winners after 6 innings of play.
Shawn Mannering (2-0) was dominant for the Panthers, allowing 4 hits and 2 earned runs in 5.2 innings of work. He struck out 10 batters. Nico Hall was the offensive star of the game. He went 3 for 4 with his first home run of the year, 2 runs scored and 3 driven in. Evan Fragela and Bret Babcock both hit home runs in the win, while Blake Prestash had the only other multi-hit game for Pitt-Bradford, finishing 2 or 3 with a run scored.
The split doubleheader moves the Panthers to 3-2 on the season. They will be back in action on Tuesday, as they will travel to Houghton for a doubleheader with the Hoghlanders that was previously postponed. The double-dip is slated to begin at 2:00 p.m.
