Fort Myers, Fla. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team brought their Spring Break trip to Fort Myers, Fla. to a close on Saturday as they played two 9-inning contests. They fell to Franklin & Marshall 13-3 in the opener and then closed with a 14-3 loss to Skidmore.
Game 1: Pitt-Bradford 3 - Franklin & Marshall 13
The opening day of the game saw the Panthers score early, but fall victim to the big inning, ultimately losing 13-3.
Shawn Mannering started the game for the Panthers and quickly got out of the first inning. He struck out the leadoff batter and then after a two-out single and a wild pitch, ended the inning on a groundout. Pitt-Bradford struck in the bottom of the 1st, using just one single to score. Nico Hall drew a walk to start the frame and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Following another walk, Maxwell Rogers hit a single through the left side to bring Hall in. The next batter, Bret Babcock, was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but the Panthers could not come up with another hit, ending the inning.
In the second, Mannering kept the Diplomats off the board again, despite loading the bases in the inning. The frame began with a single to left field before Mannering retired two straight with a strike out and a foul out to the catcher. The next two batters reached on an infield single and a walk, but the Panthers got out of the inning with a flyball to right. Pitt-Bradford was not able to add to their lead in the 2nd, as only Hall reached on a hit-by-pitch before the inning finished.
The Diplomats were finally able to break through in the 3rd, scoring three times. After a single and a double to start the inning, the first run came across on a single to right, before a sacrifice fly put Franklin & Marshall in front. Mannering picked up the second out of the frame on a grounder and seemed to be out of the inning as the next batter hit a ground ball, however, the Panthers made an error on the play, allowing the third run to score. Evan Fragela led off the bottom of the inning with a double but was left at second base as the next three Panthers were retired.
Mannering kept the deficit at 2 in the 4th, striking out two batters around a ground rule double. The Panthers rallied in the bottom of the inning, starting with back-to-back singles from Alex Ognen and Kiyle Kimoto. Following a strikeout, Andrew Bokulich drew a walk to load the bases before Fragela legged out an infield single, allowing Ognen to score.
The momentum swung the other way in the 6th, as the Diplomats exploded for 5 in the inning. They loaded the bases with a single through the left side, an error in the infield, and a bunt single, before adding a run on a fielder's choice that did not result in an out. After the run scored, Mannering was relieved by Mallick Metcalfe. Metcalfe retired the first batter he faced on an infield fly, but then allowed a long home run to left, scoring 4 runs to push their lead to 6. Metcalfe settled down, retiring the next two batters on a strikeout and a pop-up to the catcher
The Panthers were able to pull a run back in the 7th. Rogers walked to start the inning and then stole second base. He moved to third on a long fly ball to the warning track by Blake Prestash and then scored when Noah Avey beat out an infield single.
In the 8th, Metcalfe retired the first batter of the frame, but then allowed the Diplomats to tack on two runs on back-to-back singles and a double to the gap. He was replaced by Garrett Smith, who loaded the bases with an infield hit and a walk before getting the second out on a strikeout. The next batter was able to ground a single through the right side. Two runs scored on the play, but Fragela made a strong, accurate throw to third after the second run scored to get the third out on the basepaths.
In the final frame, Franklin and Marshall scored a run on a single, an error, and a sacrifice fly. The Panthers put one batter on base, as pinch hitter Ryota Kaneko drew a walk, but could not bring him around to end the game.
Shawn Mannering (3-1) picked up the loss in the game. He allowed 7 runs, only 2 earned, on 5+ innings pitched. He struck out 5. Mallick Metcalfe pitched 2.1 innings in relief, allowing 4 runs, 3 earned on 5 hits while striking out one. Garret Smith pitched the final 1.2 innings, allowing 2 to score, 1 earned, with one strikeout. Alex Ognen and Evan Fragela both went 2 for 4 in the game. Ognen scored a run, while Fragela drove one in.
Game 2: Pitt-Bradford 3 - Skidmore 14
In their final contest in Florida, Pitt-Bradford fell behind Skidmore right away, and despite two solo home runs, were never able to catch the Thoroughbreds, falling 14-3 in 7 innings.
Patrick Synan took the hill to start the game for Pitt-Bradford, running into trouble right away. Two of the first three batters singled before the Skidmore cleanup hitter lined a double into right-center to bring in both runners. Synan was able to strand one at 2nd however, retiring the next two on a lineout and a strikeout looking.
The Panthers were able to cut the lead in half in the second inning. Blake Prestash bashed a lead-off home run to left center to start the frame. A batter later, Justin Smulik singled to center, but the inning ended on a double play a batter later.
In the third, Skidmore added to their lead with 2 runs in the frame. Synan retired the first two batters but then extended the inning with a walk and a single. With runners on first and third the Thoroughbreds pulled off a double steal to bring in one run, and then dropped a double down the left-field line to go ahead 4-1. The Panthers started the bottom of the inning well, as Kyle Kimoto lined a double down the left field line to start the frame and then Nico Hall singled up the middle to put runners on the corners. Skidmore made a pitching change after the hit, which would be successful, as the next Panther grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, trading one run for 2 outs. Fragela contained the inning with a single to left, but Jake Soricone saw his line drive snagged on a jum by the Skidmore shortstop, ending the inning.
Synan returned to the mound for the 4th, and after a single to start the inning, retired two batters on a sacrifice bunt and a grounder to first. He was not able to get the third out as the next batter singled in a run. Synan induced a ground ball for the next batter, but a throwing error extended the inning, and Skidmore tacked on two more on a triple to deep center field. The triple chased Synan, who was replaced by Brayden Hageter. Hageter allowed the inherited runner to score on a single, but then struck out the next batter to end the frame.
After Hageter retired the side in order in the 5th, the Panthers got a run back as Nico Hall hit a solo shot to left field, cutting the lead to five at 8-3. The Panthers then staged a mini-rally with two outs. Fragela drew a walk and then moved to second on a balk. Soricone followed, with a single to left field, but Fragela was tagged out at the plate to end the frame.
In the 6th, Hageter retired the first two batters of the frame and seemed to be out of the inning, but another errant throw allowed the Skidmore at-bat to continue. The error came back to haunt the Panthers as Hageter walked the next batter and then allowed a double to left center. After the double, Hageter was relieved by Owen Dombrosky, making his first appearance for the Panthers on the mound. Dombrosky battled, but could not put away the Thoroughbreds, who pushed the count full multiple times and added 3 more runs on 3 walks and a single. Dombrosky ended the frame with a strikeout after 4 runs had crossed.
In the 7th, Skidmore extended their lead with two runs on 4 hits with Logan McConnell on the mound, and then the Panthers only put one runner on in the bottom half, a Bokulich single, bringing the contest to an end.
Patrick Synan (1-1) picked up the loss. He allowed 8 runs, 5 earned, in 3.2 innings pitched with 4 strikeouts. Brayden HAgeter pitched 2.0 innings, allowing 3 unearned runs while striking out three. Offensively, the Panthers registered 9 hits, but hit into 3 double plays and had two other runners retired on the base paths. Nico Hall finished the game 2 for 3 with a solo home run, his 2nd of the season, and a walk. Blake Prestash was 1 for 3 with a home run, also his 2nd of the year.
The Panthers return to Pennsylvania with a 5-10 record. They will look to get back in the win column on Tuesday, as they are scheduled to take on Penn College for a road doubleheader in Williamsport. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
