Bradford, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford softball team hosted Alfred State on Wednesday afternoon, picking up two AMCC victories over the Pioneers. They battled back from an early deficit to take game one 9-5, before holding off a late charge in game two, winning 11-9.
Game One:
The opener got off to a rough start for the Panthers as the visitors built a 5-1 lead after two innings. The Panthers recovered in the third as Krislyn Clement took over in the circle and dominated for the remainder of the game, while the Panther offense took control with 6 runs in the inning, leading to a 9-5 victory.
Starting pitcher Sandra Watne struggled to miss the sweet spot of the bat in the first, as the leadoff batter started the game with a solo home run to center. She recovered and retired the next two batters, but could not escape the inning as the Pioneers rallied with a pair of singles around a walk to double their early lead. Watne ended the inning after the run-scoring single with a strikeout.
Pitt-Bradford got one of the runs right back in the bottom of the opening frame. Miranda Groll led off with a double off the wall in left-center, and then after a pop-up, scored when Meghan Kapp lined a single into center. Krislyn Clement followed with a line drive single through the right side, but the rally came to an abrupt end with a double play up the middle.
Alfred State pushed the lead to 5-1 with three more runs in the second. Watne struck out the leadoff batter but then allowed a single and a walk. She picked up another out with a strikeout, however the inning continued with a single through the left side. She nearly escaped the jam, but the Pioneers turned around a 2-strike pitch for a bases-clearing double. Pitt-Bradford took advantage of a throwing error in the second to score another run. Jada Polczynski reached on an error with one out, and then after Mia Dunleavy drew a walk, both players moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Lexi NAjdusak drove in one with an RBI groundout before the inning ended on a groundball to short.
Clement replaced Watne to start the 3rd inning, and quickly exerted her dominance, striking out the side. The Panthers built momentum from the shutdown inning and rallied to score 6 runs. Sara Stroup drew a leadoff walk and then moved to second when Meghan Kapp bunted for a hit. Following an injury delay and a pitching change, Stroup stole third and scored when the throw bounced into left field. Clement helped her own cause and cut the lead to one with a single to right, bringing in Kapp who also stole a base. Ciera Adams grounded a single inside the bag at third and both runners took an extra bag on a bobble in the outfield. a batter later, Lilly Hamels dropped a single into center to drive in both runners and give Pitt-Bradford the lead.
The rally continued after a flyout, as the Panthers loaded the bases with an error in the infield and a fielder's choice that did not result in an out. Groll brought in a run by drawing a bases-loaded walk before Stroup drove in another with a sacrifice fly to left. Kapp stung a pitch into center field in the following at-bat, but it was directed right at an outfielder, ending the frame.
Clement struck out two more in the 4th and got some help from her battery mate when the inning ended when Hamels threw out a runner stealing after a walk. The Panthers tacked on another run in the following frame. Clement started the inning with a walk and then took second on a groundout. Hamels also reached on a free pass before Jada Polczunski grounded a single up the middle to bring Clement around for the 9th run of the game.
In the 5th, the junior right-hander picked up two more strikeouts in a scoreless frame. She continued to keep the Pioneers off the board in the 6th, despite a rally from the visitors. Following an error to begin the inning, she picked up an out on a diving play up the middle for a fielder's choice by Stroup. Clement walked the next batter before picking up the 2nd out of the inning with another K. She loaded the bases with another free pass before inducing a forceout at 2nd to finish the threat.
After a quiet 6th for the Panthers, Clement returned to the circle looking to close out the game. She walked the first two batters of the inning, but settled down and retired the next three in a row to secure the victory for Pitt-Bradford.
Krislyn Clement (3-8) received the win after 5 innings of dominant relief work. She allowed just 1 hit, an infield single while spreading out 6 walks. She struck out 8 batters. Sandra Watne pitched the first two innings, allowing 5 earned on 6 hits and 2 walks. She struck out 3. Clement also led the offense, finishing 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored and an RBI. Meghan Kapp was the only other Panther to record a multi-hit game, going 2 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Game Two:
Pitt-Bradford shot out to an early 5-0 lead in the nightcap, after nearly ending the 6ame in the 6th by the run rule, had to hold on to close out an 11-9 victory in the 7th.
Christa Koagel started the game for Pitt-Bradford and posted a 0 in the first despite allowing the first two batters of the game to reach. After a leadoff single and a walk, Koagel induced a flyout to left and a 5-5-3 double play to quickly end the rally. Pitt-Bradford exploded in the bottom of the inning, scoring 5 times on 3 hits, three walks, and 5 stolen bases. Groll started the inning with a single up the middle and then quickly stole second. After drawing a walk, Sara Stroup made a heads-up baserunning play, moving to third on an attempted double play from third to first. Meghan Kapp stole second after reaching on the fielder's choice and then Krislyn Clement lined a single into right to drive in both runs and put the Panthers in front. After taking second on a bobble in right, Clement moved to third on a passed ball. Ciera Adams promptly walked and stole second, giving the Panthers another opportunity to score. Lilly Hamels hit a groundball in the infield, but Clement was able to beat the throw to the plate, pushing the lead to three. Hamels stole second and then Koagel helped her own cause with a two-run single to center.
Despite allowing a leadoff single, Koagel posted a shutdown inning with two 5-4 putouts and a strikeout. After the Panthers went down in order in the bottom half of the second, Koagel ran into trouble. She walked the first three batters of the third, and then after a shallow flyout to right, gave up a grand slam to left field, quickly cutting the Panther lead to just 1. She recovered and retired the next two batters to end the frame.
After a 1-2-3 inning for Pitt-Bradford in the 3rd, Kalie Dixon replaced Koagel in the circle to start the 4th. The freshman made quick work of the Pioneers, inducing a flyball to right and two groundouts to short. She led off the 4th and promptly drove a double to right field. Lexi Najdusak moved Dixon to third with a sacrifice bunt before Groll drove her in with a sacrifice fly. The Panthers restarted a two-out rally with back-to-back singles and a walk but left the bases loaded with a groundout.
Dixon had a shutdown inning in the 5th, working around a single and a walk, and was rewarded in the 5th with two more runs. After two groundouts to begin the frame, Dixon lined her second double of the game into the gap. Following a Najdusk walk, Groll sharply grounded a single through the left side to load the bases for Stroup. The Panther shortstop got ahead in the count and lined a single through the left side to bring in two more runs for Pitt-Bradford, putting them ahead 8-4.
The Pioneers were retired quietly in the top of the 6th, as Dixon worked around a one-out walk to post another scoreless inning. In the bottom of the frame, Clement drove a double down the right field line and Adams drew a walk to start a rally. Following a groundout, Clement scored when Lauren Frascella reached on an error. The Panthers added another run on a wild pitch but then nearly saw the inning end on two straight outs, but the throw to first on a Najdusak groundball was errant, allowing the fame to continue. Groll pushed the lead to 7 when she beat out an infield single to drive in a run, but Stroup could not knock in the 8th run, as she popped up to end the inning, setting up the final frame.
Clement replaced Dixon to start the 7th, but despite dominating in game one, struggled in the nightcap. She was not able to record an out, allowing 4 hits, including two doubles, and a walk to see the lead quickly cut down to 4. With a defensive change, Dixon came back into the circle and quickly got the first out of the frame with a run-scoring fielder's choice. She hit the next batter with a pitch before inducing a fly ball to right field for out number two. A walk loaded the bases and put the game-tying run on first. Dixon got the next batter to hit the ball on the ground, but Stroup could not come up with the ball, allowing a run to score and the frame to continue with the lead down to just 2 runs. The freshman lefthander settled down and got another ground ball, which Stoup was able to field and flip to Adams at the bag for the final out.
Kalie Dixon (1-0) picked up her first career victory after a sparkling relief effort. She pitched 4.0 shutout innings, allowing one hit and 3 walks with one strikeout. Christa Koagel was saddled with a no-decision after lasting just 3 innings while allowing 4 runs on 3 hits and 4 walks. She struck out one. Krislyn Clement faced 5 batters without recording an out. She allowed 5 runs to score, 4 of them earned. Miranda Groll led the Pitt-Bradford offense from the leadoff spot. She went 3 for 4 in the win with three singles and 2 RBI. Dixon went 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored, while Krislyn Clement also finished 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored, one double, and 2 RBI. Sara Stroup posted a multihit game, going 2 for 4 with two singles, a walk, 2 RBI, and a run scored. Christa Koagel drove in a pair of runs with a single in her lone at bat.
The Sweep moves Pitt-Bradford to 6-16 on the year with a 2-2 mark in AMCC play. They will be on the road this weekend as they travel south for a doubleheader at the conference leaders Penn State-Altoona. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Penn State-Altoona's Stewart Softball Field.
