Cresson, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team was back in action on Sunday after two weeks off due to having multiple game days postponed by weather conditions. The Panthers traveled to Mount Aloysius for the double dip, dropping game one 21-4 and game two 7-2.
Game One:
In the opener, Pitt-Bradford started strong, taking an early 3-0 lead. Unfortunately, they lost all momentum after an 8-run 2nd inning and went on to lose the game 21-4.
Pitt-Bradford rallied with two outs in the 1st to take the lead. Trent Bielak reached on an infield single and then moved to third as Blake Prestash was hit by a pitch and Alex Colwell drew a walk. Maxwell Rogers came to the plate next and reached on a fielder's choice that did not result in an out, which allowed Bielak to score. In the bottom half, starting pitcher Jake Sherdel posted a shutdown inning, using a double play to post a 0.
The Panthers added to their lead in the second, pushing their advantage to 3 runs. Alex Ognen drew a leadoff walk and then moved into scoring position on a groundout. Aiden Zimmerman drove him in a batter later with a single through the left side. Zimmerman advanced to third on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt, and then scored when Bielak doubled to left center.
Sherdel did not have the same success in the second, as the hosts quickly loaded the bases with three singles around a strikeout. Sherdel walked in two runs and then allowed a three-run single to right center, putting the Panthers behind 5-3. He was replaced by Brayden Hageter, who allowed 3 runs to score on a walk and two singles.
After the Panthers were set down in order in the 3rd, the hosts tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the inning. Hageter induced two ground balls to start the frame, but the second resulted in an error, prolonging the inning. Hageter gave up another single and then nearly got out of the inning as he fielded a grounder back to the mound and threw out the lead runner at third. Hageter could not escape the jam, however, as he allowed a double to left to bring in two more runs. He was then relieved by Branson Scarantine, who ended the inning with a fly ball to right.
Pitt-Bradford failed to take advantage of an error to start the fourth, and then saw the deficit grow to 10. Scarantine gave up a run on a leadoff triple and an RBI-groundout, but after another ground ball allowed two hits around a walk, bringing in another run. Garret Smith replaced Scarantine with two down and induced a ground ball, however an error allowed another run to score.
The hosts continued to build their lead in the 5th, posting another 8-spot in the frame. Smith allowed 5 runs to score before he was replaced by Nick Manee. The first 4 batters Manee faced reached, resulting in 3 more runs scoring before a double play ended the frame.
Pitt-Bradford showed some life in the top of the 6th when Rogers led off the frame with a solo home run to right field. The opposite field blast was his 4th of the season. Later in the inning, Kyle Kimoro singled but did not advance any further. Manee kept the Mounties off the board in the bottom half, working around an error to post the first scoreless frame since the first. Bielak hit another double with one out in the top of the 7th, but was not able to score.
Jacob Sherdel picked up the loss after allowing 6 earned runs on 5 hits and 2 walks in 1.1 innings pitched. He struck out 2. Brayden Hageter, Branson SCarantine, Garett Smith, and Nick Manee pitched the final 4.2 innings, allowing 15 runs, 12 of them earned. Manee was the most efficient, allowing 1 run over 1.2 innings pitched. Trent Bielak finished game one 3 for 4 with two doubles, an RB,I and a run scored. Maxwell Rogers was 1 for 3 with a solo home run.
Game Two:
In the nightcap, the Panthers were tied at 1 after one inning, but could not find a breakthrough. The hosts struck first, scoring 6 runs in the 5th and then outlasting the Panthers 7-2.
Aiden Zimmerman gave the Panthers a strong start to game two, leading off with a single and then stealing second base. When Bielak flew out to deep center, Zimmerman tagged up and advanced to third. The throw to the infield was errant, allowing Zimmerman to scamper home. The lead would not last long, as starting pitcher Shawn Mannering gave up a one-out home run in the bottom of the inning.
After Mannering stranded a leadoff double on second in the 3rd, the Panthers had their best chance to take the lead in the 4th. Bielak hit a one-out double to right, and then Alex Colwell was hit by a pitch. The Panthers could not bring them in, however, as the next two batters flew out to end the inning.
Mannering finally broke in the 5th, allowing 6 runs to score. He gave up a leadoff double and then a single, putting runners don't he corners with nobody out. The Mounties dropped down a safety squeeze to take the lead, and Mannering made a throwing error on the play, allowing the batter to reach. Following a single that loaded the bases, the senior righty nearly escaped without further damage, getting a pop-up to first and a strikeout. He could not come up with the final out of the frame, giving up back-to-back singles, which brought in 3 more runs. He was replaced by Ethan Zimmerman, who allowed both inherited runners to score on a balk and an infield single before ending the frame with a fly out to left.
The Panthers rallied with two outs in the 6th, scoring once and threatening to add more. Bielak started the rally with a home run to dead center, his 6th of the season. The home run was followed by an Alex Colwell double and a hit batter. Unfortunately, the Panthers could not get another hit to continue the inning, as a fielder's choice at third ended the frame.
Zimmerman successfully shut down the Mounties over the next 3 innings, stranding two in scoring position to end the 7th and one runner in the 8th. Pitt-Bradford could not take advantage of Zimmerman's success, as they managed one hit, a Noah Avey single in the last three frames.
Shawn Mannering (3-4) picked up the loss after allowing 7 runs, 2 earned, on 8 hits. He struck out 5 in 4.2 innings pitched. Ethan Zimmerman pitched the final 3.1 innings without allowing a run. He scattered 3 hits and struck out three. Trent Bielak was the only Panther to record a multi-hit game, finishing 2 for 3 with a solo home run and a double. Aiden Zimmerman, Alex Colwell, Maxwell Rogers, and Tim Beimel all had hits in the loss.
Pitt-Bradford drops to 12-14 on the season and 2-8 in AMCC play after the sweep. They will return to action on Thursday, May 1st, when they travel to Buffalo to play Hilbert in a crucial AMCC doubleheader. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m.
