Bradford, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford softball team was back at home on Friday to take on the LaRoche Redhawks. The Panthers hit a pair of home runs to win a pitcher's duel 3-1 before seeing a comeback fall short in game two, losing 6-4.

Game One:

Meghan Kapp started for the Panthers and worked out of trouble in the first. She retired the leadoff batter, but walked the second. After a fielder's choice, a fielding error in the infield continued the frame with two down. Kapp was able to strand the runners, however, inducing a groundout to third. Pitt-Bradford went down in order in the bottom half. 

In the 2nd, the Redhawks rallied again. They put a runner on with a one-out walk, and then following another fielder's choice, hit back-to-back singles to take the lead. Kapp loaded the bases with a hit batter and then got some help from the defense to end the frame. The next batter hit a sharp line drive into left field, which Lexi Najdusak was able to snag in the gap to end the frame. 

The LaRoche lead did not last long, as Krislyn Clement led off the bottom of the inning with a towering solo home run to left field. It was her third of the season. Lilly Hamels reached with a one-out single to left before Kendall Dotson put the Panthers in front with a home run down the left field line. The blast was the first of her career. Najdusak and Miranda Groll each singled and then moved up a base when Sara Stroup reached on an error. Kapp could not come up with a hit to drive them in, however, grounding out to short to end the frame.

Clement replaced Kapp in the circle to begin the third and worked around a two-out double to post the shutout inning. She was able to shut down the LaRoche offense for the remainder of the game, allowing 3 walks and a 7th inning single while keeping the visitors off the board. Pitt-Bradford put runners in scoring position in the 5th and 6th innings, but once again could not come up with the hit to extend their lead. 

In the 7th, Clement allowed a one-out single, but got consecutive fielder's choice groundouts to third to end the game.

Krislyn Clement (4-10) picked up the win after pitching 5 shutout innings in relief. She allowed two hits and four walks. She also went 1/2 at the plate, hitting a solo home run and drawing a walk. Meghan Kapp started the game and allowed 1 earned run on 2 hits in 2.0 innings of work. Kendall Dotson hit the go-ahead 2-run home run and also drew a walk. Lexi Najdusak was the only Panther to have a multi-hit game, finishing 2 for 2. 

Game Two:

In the nightcap, the Panthers fell to 6-1 deficit after a 3-run 5th inning. They battled back and had the go-ahead run at the plate twice in the final innings, but could not finish the comeback and fell 6-4.

Sandra Watne took the circle for the Panthers and worked around two singles in the first to keep the game scoreless. Pitt-Bradford started a two-out rally in the 1st with walks by Meghan Kapp and Krislyn Clement, but saw the inning quickly end on a fielder's choice.

Following a quiet 2nd, LaRoche went ahead with a pair of runs in the 3rd. They started the inning with an infield hit and a bunt single. They dropped down a 2nd straight bunt single to continue the rally and the leadoff batter rounded third and scored on the play to open the scoring. They doubled their lead a batter later while the Panthers turned a 4-6-3 double play. 

Pitt-Bradford got one run right back in the bottom half. Miranda Groll reached on an error with one out and then stole second base. After a pop-up, Kapp grounded a single through the right side of the infield to bring her around. Clement continued the rally with a single up the middle, but similarly to the first inning, the rally ended with a groundball to third. 

The visitors restored their 2-run cushion in the 4th. After a two-out error, Watne allowed a double off the wall in center field, which brought the runner around to score. The Redhawks nearly added another run a batter later, but Groll made a diving catch in centerfield to end the inning. Following a quiet 4th from the Panthers, LaRoche scored 3 times in the 5th. The inning started with an error and then continued with a double down the left field line. After they scored a run with a sacrifice fly, the Redhawks tallied 3 straight singles to push their advantage to 5. Christa Koagel replaced Watne after the third single and ended the inning with a fly ball to right. 

The Panthers battled back in the bottom half, matching the Redhawks with 3 runs of their own in the bottom half. Groll led off the inning with a single to center, and then scored when Sara Stroup doubled to the gap in right-center. She moved to third on a bunt and then scored on a double down the right field line by Krislyn Clement. The Panthers loaded the bases with a Ciera Adams single to right and a hit batter. After a fielder's choice cut down a run at the plate, the Panthers added a third run on a wild pitch. With the tying run on second, the inning came to an end with a strikeout.

Koagel pitched a 1-2-3 shutout inning in the 6th, but the Panthers could not build any more momentum in the bottom of the frame, only mustering a two-out single by Stroup. 

Koagel ran into some trouble as the first two batters of the 7th singled, and moved to scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. The next batter hit a line drive right at Adams playing second, who made the catch and flipped to Stroup at the bag to end the inning with a double play. 

The bottom of the 7th started with a strikeout, but Clement chased a wild pitch for the third strike and beat the throw to first. After two straight outs, Christa Koagel reached on a catcher's interference and brought the go-ahead run to the plate. Payton Frank hit a sharp ground ball to short, but it was fielded and flipped to third for the final out of the game.

Sandra Watne (2-5) received the loss after allowing 6 runs, 2 earned in 4.2 innings pitched. She struck out one batter. Christa Koagel pitched the final 2.1 innings without allowing a run. Sara Stroup and Krislyn Clement both finished with two hits, including an RBI double. Miranda Groll scored twice in the loss, while Meghan Kapp was 1 for 3 with an RBI single. 

After the split, the Panthers are 8-20 on the season with a 4-6 mark in AMCC play. They are scheduled to return to action on Monday, April 21st, when they host Hilbert. The games are scheduled for 3 and 5 p.m.