Waynesburg, PA -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team was back in action on Thursday as they took on Waynesburg in a pair of seven-inning contests. The Panthers won both games, using a dominant pitching performance to win game one 2-1 before exploding at the plate for a 15-4 win in game two.
Game 1:
In the opener, Pitt-Bradford jumped ahead of the host Yellowjackets with a run in each of the first two innings and then worked behind ace Shawn Mannering to keep Waynesburg in check for the remainder of the game to win 2-1.
With two outs in the top of the first Maxwell Rogers was hit by a pitch before Trent Bielak hit a double down the left-field line to chase him around the bases and put the Panthers in front. Staked a one-run lead before heading out to the mound, Mannering allowed a leadoff double to left center but then shut down the threat with a pair of strikeouts around a groundout to short.
The Panthers doubled their lead in the 2nd, tacking on a run with 2 hits, a walk, and a hustle play. Alex Colwell led off the frame with a walk, but a pair of strikeouts followed his at-bat. Pitt-Bradford loaded the bases on singles to right by Tim Johnson and Avery Zimmerman. Noah Avey came to the plate next and hit a bouncer to shortstop, Zimmerman got a great jump on the basepaths and beat the 2nd baseman to the bag on the force attempt, which allowed Colwell to scamper home. Mannering allowed a pair of one-out hits in the bottom half but posted a shutdown inning by getting out of the jam with two groundouts.
Pitt-Bradford left the bases loaded in the 3rd, and then after a quick top of the 4th, saw their advantage cut in half. Mannering gave up a one-out double to right center, followed by a single up the middle which let Waynesburg score. He left the second runner stranded on base after two fielder's choice groundouts.
The Panthers left 2 runners on base in the 5th, and 3 in the 6th, but Mannering was able to keep the Yellowjackets silent, working around a hit batter and an error in the 5th before setting down the side in order in the 6th to keep the Panthers in front.
After a 1-2-3 top of the 7th, Mannering made quick work of Waynesburg to end the game. He retired the first two batters on a fly ball o right and a lineout to second base, and then after a walk induced a pop-up in the infield to end the game.
Shawn Mannering (3-1) pitched his 3rd complete game of the season. He allowed just 1 earned run while scattering 5 hits and 2 walks. He struck out 4. Blake Prestash finished 3 for 4 with a double. Trent Bielak had an RBI double, while Noah Avey also drove in a run.
Game 2:
In the nightcap, the Panthers exploded for 13 runs over the first three innings of play and then used 4 innings of shutout ball from Collin Porter to win 15-4.
Seth Helgert started the 1st-inning rally by lining a one-out double to left. The next 5 Panthers reached base before another out could be recorded. Bielak brought in Helgert with a single to left and then After Prestash hit a single up the middle, Colwell doubled the lead with a hit through the left side. Rogers drew a walk to load the bases before designated hitter Kenny Nickson III broke the game open. He crushed a pitch through the wind to dead center field, clearing the high fence for a grand slam. The blast was the lefty's first home run with the Panthers and gave Pitt-Bradford a 6-0 lead.
Patrick Synan started for Pitt-Bradford and after retiring the leadoff batter ran into trouble. A rally started with a bunt single before a line drive double beat Alan Compres in left field to put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Waynesburg scored one run on an RBI groundout and then the second on a wild pitch. After a hit, a stolen base, and an error resulted in a runner on third, Synan induced a pop-up to the catcher, which ended the frame.
Pitt-Bradford got the runs right back in the 2nd inning. Bielak started the inning with a walk and then scored on a double down the line by Prestash. A Colwell single put runners on the corners and then a sacrifice fly by Rogers restored the 6-run lead. Nickson doubled to put runners on 2nd and third before Logan McConnell grounded a single up the middle to bring in both runners and put the Panthers ahead 10-2.
Synan found trouble once more in the second. He allowed a leadoff single, but then a ground ball to third resulted in a pair of errors on one play, putting runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. He limited the damage in the inning, allowing one run to score on an RBI groundout and the second to come around on a single to center. He worked around a stolen base and a walk to get the final two outs of the inning without allowing any more runs.
In the 3rd, the Panthers rallied again, scoring three more times. Bielak reached on another walk with one out and then rounded the bases on another RBI double from Prestash. Pitt-Bradford loaded the basses with a pair of free passes, and then after a strikeout, McConnell delivered a clutch two-out single to left to bring in 2 more runs.
Collin Porter replaced Synan to begin the 3rd and quickly allowed a pair of runners on base with a walk and a hit. He settled in after that, retiring the next three batters with two groundouts and a strikeout to end the inning unscathed.
The Panther offense went quiet for the next three innings, as they were retired in order in each of the three frames. Porter was just as dominant in the bottom of the innings, allowing only an infield single and a hit batter over the same span to keep the Pitt-Bradford advantage at 9.
Prestash tacked on two more runs in the top of the 7th. Helgert led off with a single up the middle, and then after a fielder's choice, Prestash hit a high fly to left that soared over the fence for a 2-run homerun. The blast was Prestsh's 4th of the season. Branson Scarantine relieved Porter in the bottom of the 7th and retired all three batters he faced to end the game.
Collin Porter (2-1) got the win after pitching 4 scoreless relief innings. He allowed just 2 hits and a walk while striking out 4. Patrick Synan pitched two innings, allowing 4 runs, 2 earned, on 5 hits. Branson Scarantine pitched a perfect 7th, striking out one batter. Offensively, the Panthers pounded out 14 hits. Prestash led the way, finishing 4 for 5 with 2 doubles, a home run, 4 runs scored and 4 RBI. Kenny Nickson III was 2 for 4 with a grand slam and a double. Logan McConnell had 2 hits and 4 RBI. Trent Bielak scored 4 times, while Alex Colwell scored 3.
The sweep moves Pitt-Bradford to 9-5 on the season. They will be back on the road over the weekend, traveling to Thiel for a Sunday double-dip. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. in Greenville, PA.
