Bradford, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford softball team began postseason play on Friday, as they took on #4 Penn State-Behrend at the Kessel Athletic Complex. The Panthers struggled to combine hits in the game and ultimately fell 8-0 in 6 innings.
Sandra Watne got the start for Pitt-Bradford and kept the Lions off the board in the first. She worked around a leadoff walk by inducing a groundout and two fly balls to get the Panthers back in the dugout. After the Panthers went down in order in the 2nd, the Lions broke through with a pair of singles. Watne allowed a leadoff infield hit, but then got two outs on a fly ball to center and a grounder to third, which allowed the runner to advance to second. She nearly escaped the inning unscathed, but a grounder up the middle got by a diving Sara Stroup to drive in the opening run.
Pitt-Bradford was unable to muster any offense in the third, but Watne kept the deficit at one by inducing a 5-5-3 double play to end the 3rd.
The Panthers looked to rally in the 4th, as Stroup recorded the Panthers' first hit of the game, driving a double down the left field line with one out. After a popup, Ciera Adams lined a single to right. Stroup rounded third and headed to the plate, but was beat by the throw and was tagged out to end the inning. The outfield assist put the momentum back with the Lions, who quickly added to their lead in the bottom of the inning. Watne allowed a leadoff single and then a two-run home run to left field. She was able to work around another single to limit the Lions from scoring any more runs in the frame.
In the 5th, Anna Bokulich led off with a single, but was doubled off when the next batter, Meghan Kapp, hit a line drive right to first base. Krislyn Clement replaced Watne in the circle to start the 5th and ran into trouble as she allowed a leadoff single and then a walk. She recorded one out with a grounder, but then allowed a single through the right side. The lead runner easily scored, but Bokulich made a strong throw to the plate to throw the 2nd Lion out at the plate.
After the Panthers were retired quietly in the 6th. Clement ran into trouble again, as the first three Lions singled to load the bases. Clement induced two straight ground balls to short, which resulted in force outs at home. She nearly got out of the frame unharmed, but Stroup could not come up with one final ground ball, extending the inning. The error was followed by a two-run single and then a dropped fly ball in the outfield, which pushed the deficit to 8 runs, ending the game early.
Sandra Watne (4-6) picked up the loss for the Panthers. She allowed 3 earned runs in 4.0 innings pitched. Krislyn Clement pitched 1.2 innings, allowing 5 runs, 1 earned. Pitt-Bradford had 3 hits in the loss. Sara Stroup was 1 for 3 with a double, while Ciera Adams and Anna Bokulich both went 1 for 2 with a single.
The Panthers fall to 11-24 with the loss. They drop into the loser's bracket in the double-elimination tournament. They will take on #2 Mount Aloysius in the first game of Day 2. A loss will bring their campaign to an end, while a win extends it for at least one more game. First pitch is scheduled for 9:00 a.m.
