Myrtle Beach, S.C. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team rode an offensive wave at the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach to pick up a pair of wins over Lancaster Bible College. They won game one 11-2 and then completed the sweep by holding on late in an 11-8 victory in game two.
Game One:
In the opener, the Panthers jumped out to an early lead and then used a quality start from junior Jacob Sherdel to defeat the Chargers 11-2.
Playing as the visiting team, the Panthers immediately grabbed control of the game, scoring twice before an out could be recorded. Aiden Zimmerman and Seth Helgert both singled into left field and then Maxwell Rogers loaded the bases with an infield single. Trent Bielak stepped up in the cleanup role and lined a single down the third base line to bring in Zimmerman and Helgert. Unfortunately, the Panthers could not tack on to the lead from there, as the next three Panthers were set down on strikes to end the threat.
Jacob Sherdel took the hill for his first start of the year and quickly posted a shutdown inning, working around a one-out single to get the Panther offense back to the plate. After a quiet 2nd frame, the Panthers loaded the bases with one out in the 3rd, but saw the rally end with an inning ending double play.
Pitt-Bradford doubled their lead in the bottom of the fourth, using a two-out rally to tack on a pair of runs. Jake Soricone started the rally with an infield single. He stole a base before the next two Panthers walked to load the bases for the third time in four innings. Rogers came through with the clutch two-out hit, singling through the left side of the infield to bring two runners around. The Chargers struck back for one in the bottom of the inning. After a bunt single and a walk, Lancaster Bible hit a single down the line to cut the Panthers' lead to three. Sherdel limited the damage, however, inducing a pop-up with the bases loaded to end the inning.
The Panthers grabbed momentum back right away in the next inning. Blake Prestash led off the frame and took advantage of a hanging breaking ball, crushing it over the wall in left center for a solo home run. The homer was the 1st for Prestash and the Panthers this season, and the 3rd in the senior's career. The home team answered in the bottom of the frame, using a single, hit batter and two sacrifices to get the run back and cut the lead to 5-2.
After a quiet 6th, the Panther offense exploded in the top of the 7th, scoring six times on seven hits. Bielak led off the inning with a double, and then after Prestash was hit by a pitch, Alex Colwell singled up the middle to drive in the first run. Braden Meadows moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt before Noah Avey and Soricone each brought in a run with a single through the left side of the infield. Pinch hitter Tim Beimel brought in another run with a sacrifice fly, and then after Soricone stole second, Helgert found the 6 hole again, singling in Soricone. Rogers followed with the 5th single of the inning to force a Charger pitching change. The batter who started the rally finished it for Pitt-Bradford as Bielak drove in one final run with an RBI single, putting the Panthers ahead 11-2.
Ethan Zimmerman replaced Sherdel for the 7th and made quick work of the Chargers, setting the side down in order to end the game.
Jacob Sherdel (1-0) picked up the win for Pitt-Bradford after scattering 4 hits and 2 walks to allow 2 earned runs in 6.0 innings of work. He struck out 4 batters. Ethan Zimmerman pitched a perfect 7th with one strikeout. Offensively, the Panthers pounded out 17 hits, led by Maxwell Rogers who finished with 4 singles and 2 RBI. Trent Bielak had 3 hits in the win and drove in 3. Blake Prestash hit the Panthers' first home run of the year. Aiden Zimmerman, Seth Helgert and Jake Soricone all finished with multi-hit games.
Game 2:
In the afternoon matchup, Pitt-Bradford once again built an early lead, but in the end had to withstand a late rally to win 11-8.
Joe Long started game two for the Panthers and had to work out of a first inning jam to keep the Chargers off the board. He retired the first two batters of the game on a strikeout and a flyball, but then allowed the next two runners to reach on singles. He was able to end the threat, striking out the next batter to end the first. The Panthers went down without a hit in the bottom of the inning, but Long used a doubleplay to nullify an infield error in the 2nd.
In the bottom of the inning, the Panthers went in front. Trent Bielak led off and reached on an error and then moved to second on a balk. After a groundout, Kenny Nickson III singled into left center to move the runner to third. Catcher Logan McConnell gave his batterymate the lead, hitting a sacrifice fly to right field.
Long set down the side in order for a shutdown inning in the third, and was rewarded as the Panthers continued to build momentum and scored 4 more times. With two outs and runners on 1st and 2nd, Alex Ognen beat out an infield single to extend the inning. During the next at bat, Seth Helgert scampered home on a wild pitch for the first tally of the frame. Following a Nickson walk, the Panthers added three more runs on an infield single by McConnell, another wild pitch and a throwing error in the infield.
The Chargers were finally able to touch up long in the fourth. After starting the inning with a single and a walk, Lancaster Bible put two runners in scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, and then drove them in with a single to left. Pitt-Bradford did not respond in the 4th, but an inning later, added to their lead with 4 more runs off the Charger bullpen. The Panthers took advantage of a lack of control from the Lancaster Bible reliever, loading the bases with a walk and two hit batters. Pitt-Bradford scored the first run of the inning on a passed ball, and then another on an RBI groundout by Kyle Kimoto. Alan Compres drew a walk and then scored with McConnell when Tim Johnson dropped a single into left center.
Long had a rocky start to the 6th, and was lifted after walking the leadoff batter and then allowing a single to left. He was replaced by freshman right-hander Carter Leviski. Leviski hit the first batter he faced to load the bases, and then allowed both inherited runners to score on an infield single and a groundout to third. He struck out a batter for the second, and then nearly escaped the inning without further damage, but the Lancaster Bible batter beat out an infield single which allowed two runs to score and extended the inning. Leviski ended the inning a batter later with a fly ball to right.
Pitt-Bradford came right back in the bottom of the inning and tacked on two insurance runs. The Panthers loaded the bases with two infield singles and a walk, but nearly came away empty handed after a 3-2-4 double play cut down a run at the plate. McConnell once again came through with a clutch at bat, hitting a single into left center to bring in two runs. The Panthers reloaded the bases with a Kimoto single and a Compres walk, but Johnson's fly ball was tracked down in center field to end the inning.
Leviski returned to the mound for the 7th, looking to shut the door. He did run into some trouble as despite striking out two Charger batters, he also allowed a pair of RBI doubles. after the second, he settled down and got a pinch hitter to end the game on a groundout to short.
Joe Long (1-0) was credited with the win after allowing 4 earned runs on 6 hits in 5+ innings. He struck out 4. Carter Leviski pitched the final two frames, allowing 4 earned runs while striking out three batters. Logan McConnell was the offensive star for the Panthers, finishing 2 for 2 with 4 RBI and 1 run scored. Tim Johnson was 2 for 4 with a pair of RBI, while Alex Ognen also went 2 for 4 but scored twice. Trent Bielak scored 3 runs in the win.
Pitt-Bradford moves to 4-1 on the season after the sweep. They will have the next two days off before returning to action on Thursday with a double-header against Elmira. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. at the Ripken Experience's Crosley Field.
