Erie, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford softball team opened their AMCC schedule on Thursday with a doubleheader at Penn State-Behrend. The Panthers lost both games, dropping the first 12-4 in 5 innings and the second 5-2.
Game One:
In the opener, the Panthers tallied 12 hits in the game but struggled to keep the Lions off the board and made multiple outs on the basepaths, leading to a 12-4 loss in 5 innings.
After leaving Sara Stroup on 2nd base in the bottom of the first, the Panthers fell behind from the start with 4 unearned runs in the bottom of the first. Starting pitcher Krislyn Clement struck out the leadoff batter, before allowing a single. After a throwing error on a fielder's choice, the Lions took the lead with an RBI single. Clement nearly got out of the jam with one run, but gave up back-to-back doubles which put Penn state-Behrend ahead 4-0.
Pitt-Bradford came right back in the second and quickly cut the lead in half. Clement led off the frame with a double to left center and then scored on a single by Meghan Kapp. Kapp took second on the throw home and then came around to score on a two-out single to right by Lexi Najdusak. Clement was not able to keep the momentum with the Panthers, the hosts tacked on two runs on 4 hits in the frame.
Penn State-Behrend scored two more with a two-out single in the 3rd. The Panthers threatened to cut into the lead in the 4th, as Kapp led off with a single and then Lilly Hamel doubled to the gap. A 5-3-2 double play cut down a run at the plate and the inning ended just after that.
In the 5th, the Panthers cut the lead to four with two more runs in the frame. Miranda Groll and Payton Frank singled to start the frame. Stroup followed with a single to center that brought in Groll, but Frank was thrown out at third for the first out of the inning. Ciera Adams brought in Stroup with a double down the left field line before a flyball to center and a grounder to third ended the threat. In the bottom of the inning, the Lions scored 4 runs on 3 hits and an error to end the game.
Krislyn Clement (2-8) got the loss for the Panthers. She pitched all 4.2 innings, allowing 12 runs, 5 of them earned. She struck out 2. Offensively, she had a double. Sara Stroup went 3 for 3 in the loss, hitting 2 singles and a double. She scored once and drove in another run. Meghan Kapp also had a multihit game, finishing 2 for 4.
Game Two:
In the nightcap, the Panthers fell behind early again, allowing the Lions to take a 3-0 lead. Pitt-Bradford battled back to cut the deficit to 1, but could not keep the hosts off the board late and fell 5-2.
Sandra Watne started in the circle for the Panthers and found early trouble. After the leadoff batter reached on an error, she retired the second batter but then gave up an RBI double to open the scoring. She induced another groundout for the second out, but could not escape the inning without further damage, allowing a bloop single to right which brought in the second run.
The Panthers left Krislyn Clement on second after a leadoff single in the 2nd inning, and the Lions tacked another run onto their lead in the bottom half. Watne retired the first two batters of the inning, but could not get out of the inning. She allowed two free passes and then an infield single which brought in the run.
The Panthers finally broke onto the scoreboard in the 4th when Sara Stroup led off the inning with a solo home run to right. It was her AMCC-leading 6th of the season. After Watne posted a shutdown inning, the Panthers rallied with two outs in the 5th to cut the deficit to 1. Miranda Groll drew a walk and then moved to scoring position on a pinch-hit single by Lilly Hamels. Stroup came through for Pitt-Bradford once again, lining a single into center field to bring Groll around.
Watne was not able to keep the momentum with the Panthers in the bottom of the inning, as the Lions started the frame with 3 straight singles to match the run. They added another two batters later on a sacrifice fly before the inning ended on a pop-up.
Pitt-Bradford's offense threatened again in the 6th when Clement and Meghan Kapp hit consecutive innings to start the frame. After two pop-ups were caught in foul territory, Lexi Najdusak reached on an error to load the bases. Groll came to the plate next and hit a grounder to third, but could not reach, ending the inning. Watne kept the deficit at three in the bottom half, working around a single to post a zero.
In the 7th, Stroup hit another single up the middle with one out, but could not advance any further as the next two Panthers flew out to right and center.
Sandra Watne (2-4) went the distance for the Panthers in the loss. She allowed 5 runs, 3 earned, while scattering 9 hits. Sara Stroup went 3 for 3 with a walk, a home run, and 2 RBI. For the day, she went 6 for 6 with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Krislyn Clement had a multi-hit game for the Panthers, singling twice.
Pitt-Bradford drops to 4-16 on the season with an 0-2 record in AMCC play. They are scheduled to return to action on Saturday with another road doubleheader. They will travel to the Pittsburgh area to take on Carlow. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. at West Field in Munhall.
