Los Angeles, CA -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford softball team picked up their first wins of the season on Friday, defeating Occidental in two games. They came back from an early deficit to win game one 6-5, and then dominated early in game two before hanging on to complete the sweep with a 10-7 win.
Game 1:
The Panthers scored first in the game, but then fell behind in the bottom half of the first. Miranda Groll led off the game, reached on an error and moved to second on the play. She scored a batter later when Sara Stroup singled to center. Krislyn Clement started in the circle for the Panthers. She retired the leadoff batter, but then gave up 3 hits and a home run to fall behind 4-1. She avoided further damage in the inning, getting a strikeout before ending the frame with a pop-up.
Pitt-Bradford rallied in the bottom of the second, scoring three to even the game. After the first two batters were retired, Payton Frank drew a walk, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Lexi Najdusak drew another free pass before Groll singled to center to bring in Frank. Stroup came up big in the clutch again, driving a double to left center to drive in both runners and tie the game at 4.
In the bottom of the 2nd, Occidental loaded the bases with an error, double and a walk, but Clement got out of the jam and posted a shutdown inning. Neither team scored in the 3rd, but the Panthers struck again in the 4th to retake the lead. Frank drew a one out walk and then moved to third on a groundout to the right side and a passed ball. After Groll drew a walk, she was thrown out stealing, but Frank was able to scamper home on the play to give Pitt-Bradford a 5-4 lead. Clement posted another big zero in the 4th, working around a two out walk to keep the Tigers off the board.
The Panthers were set down quietly in the 5th, and the hosts took the momentum back, tying the game in the bottom half. Two singles followed a one-out walk to load the bases before the Tigers scored on a fielder's choice grounder to short. Both teams put runners on in the 6th, but could not break the tie, sending the game to the 7th tied at 5.
Ciera Adams led off the 7th with a single to center, and was removed for pinch-runner Alyssa Burlew. Burlew took 2nd on a wild pitch and then after Clement was walked, Kapp dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. Lilly Hamels came to the plate next and drove a fly ball to center field to bring in the go-ahead run. Clement returned to the circle to close out the game and retired the side to end the game.
Krislyn Clement (1-2) picked up the win after going the distance while allowing 5 earned runs. She struck out 1 batter. Sara Stroup finished 2 for 3 and drove in 3 Panther runs. Ciera Adams had a multi-hit game, while Miranda Groll was 1 for 3 with 2 runs and an RBI.
Game 2:
The nightcap of the doubleheader saw the Panthers play as the home team. Sandra Watne started for the Panthers and made quick work of the Tigers, setting the side down in order. In the bottom of the inning, the Panthers took advantage of errant pitching to score 3 times. Groll drew a leadoff walk and then stole second. After Stroup also walked, Ciera Adams reached on a fielder's choice and Groll rounded third on the relay throw to first and beat the ball to home plate to give the Panthers the early lead. Clement continued the rally and Anna Bokulich drew another free pass to load the bases. Kapp drove in one with a single to left and then Watne helped her own cause, bringing in a run with a walk.
Watne walked the leadoff batter in the 2nd and allowed one run after back-to-back hits. She limited the damage however, getting the next two batters to pop up and ground out. The Panthers got the run right back, and doubled their tally with three more runs. They loaded the bases without a hit as Najdusak reached on an error and then Groll was hit by a pitch and Stroup walked. After a pitching change, Adams and Clement both forced in a run with a walk. A batter later, Kapp drove in a run with a single to left.
The hosts rallied in the 3rd, scoring three runs with a home run, and then back-to-back singles around a passed ball. She kept the Panthers in front, however, inducing the fly ours to end the frame. The Panthers added a run in both the 4th and 5th innings to push their lead to 8-4. They scored without a hit in the 4th, using 4 walks to bring in Bokulich. in the 5th, Adams drew a leadoff walk and then moved to third on consecutive wild pitches. She scored a batter later when Clement reached on an error in the infield.
Occidental rallied in the 6th, starting the inning with 3 straight hits. They added two more on a sacrifice fly and a single to left, chasing Watne from the circle. Watne was replaced by Christa Koagel, who effectively ended the rally with a fly ball to right and a fielder's choice, to keep Pitt-Bradford ahead 8-7. The Panthers struck back in the bottom of the inning, padding their lead with two runs. Najdusak and Groll started the inning with singles. After a fielder's choice retired the lead runner at third, Groll and Stroup pulled off a double steal to move into scoring position. Adams singled to center to bring in one run and then Hamels dropped down a safety squeeze to bring home Stroup. Koagel allowed a one-out infield single in the 7th, but ended the game with two flyballs to the outfield.
Sandra Watne (1-1) picked up the win for the Panthers. She allowed 7 runs in 5.1 innings. Christa Koagel was credited with a save, her first of the year. She pitched the final 1.2 innings scoreless, allowing one single. Ciera Adams finished the game 1 for 2, but also drew 3 walks, scored 3 times and drove in 3 runs. Meghan Kapp rallied three hits in the game and drove in two runs. LExi Najdusak also had a multihit game, finishing 2 for 4. Miranda Groll reached base 3 times, scored 3 runs and drove in one.
The Panthers move to 2-4 on the season after the wins. They will be back in action tomorrow, when they bring their Spring Break trip to the West Coast to a close with a doubleheader at Whittier. The games are scheduled for 3 and 5 p.m. Eastern, 12 and 2 local time.
