![Panthers Battle Back to Earn Split with Penn-State Behrend](/sports/bsb/2020-21/4-19_psb.jpg?max_width=600)
Posted: Apr 19, 2021
Erie, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team came back from a 7-4 deficit in the second game of a non-conference doubleheader to earn their second split of the season with Penn State-Behrend.
Game 1:
- The Panthers fell behind early in their matchup with the Lions, as starting pitcher Ben Mulhall saw the hosts score in the first on a walk, stolen base, and single.
- The Panthers were able to come right back in the 2nd to tie the game. Kevin Rehak drew a leadoff walk, and after two teammates were retired, stole second base. Matt LaBadie came through with a big hit, singling to left to bring Rehak home.
- The Lions used a walk, steal and single once again in the 2nd to retake a one-run lead.
- Pitt-Bradford came back again in the 3rd, scoring two runs before the Lions could record an out. Nico Hall started the inning with a double to left. Nick Stein dropped down a bunt single and then Jake McNabb doubled into the left-center gap to bring both runners around.
- The Panthers held the lead for an inning, but the Lions exploded for four runs in the 4th to take the lead for good. Alex Miles took over for Mulhall with two outs in the inning, he allowed one of his inherited runners to score but got the final out on a grounder back to the mound.
- The Panthers were able to get two hits in the 6th, but one runner was caught stealing, which kept them off the board.
- Ben Mulhall (0-1) picked up the loss in his first start of the season. He was tagged for 6 earned runs on 6 hits and 3 walks. He struck out three batters.
- Alex Miles pitched the final 2 and 1/3, allowing no runs on 3 hits a walk, and a hit batter. He struck out 2.
- Matt LaBadie went 2 for 2 in the game. He picked up the RBI single in the second and doubled in the 6th. He also drew a walk.
- Jake McNabb went 1 for 4 with 2 RBIs.
Game 2:
- Game 2 got off to a similar start as the first, as the Lions jumped ahead with a run in the first, and Pitt-Bradford responded with one of their own. The Lions used three singles off-starting pitcher Hector Vargas to plate their first run in their opening at-bat.
- The Panthers came back with a two-out rally to tie the game in the second. David Gebhard beat out an infield single and moved up a base on an Andrew Bokulich single to left. Nico Hall delivered a third straight two-out hit to bring Gebhard around to score.
- The hosts responded immediately, quickly loading the bases before having an out recording. The first run scored on a sacrifice fly, and the next batter doubled to the gap in left-center to put the Lions up 3.
- Pitt-Bradford cut into the lead in the 4th with a second run. Bokulich picked up his second hit of the day with a single back up the middle. Hall followed that with a walk and Sam Dreistadt came through with a two-out single to right to bring in Bokulich.
- The Panthers continued the comeback in the 5th and tied the game at 4. Matt LaBadie led off the frame with a double down the left-field line. After a MAtt Hair walk, Rehak dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. Evan Fragela followed the sacrifice with a single to center to drive in LaBadie and Hair.
- Kyler Majka replaced Vargas in the 5th and ran into trouble. After striking out the first batter he faced, he allowed triple and back-to-back singles to see the Lions retake a lead. They added to it with a two-out double to center to restore the Lions 3 run lead.
- Pitt-Bradford followed this with a big inning of their own, scoring 5 runs in the 6th inning. Dreistadt led off with a single back up the middle and scored when LaBadie hit a double into the gap in right-center. He took third on a wild pitch and scored when Kevin Rehak reached on an error.
- The error chased Penn State-Behrend starter Jeff Zick but his replacement entered for one batter and walked Evan Fragela to load the bases.
- Facing the third pitcher in as many batters, David Gebhard drew another walk to bring in a run and tie the game. Andrew Bokulich drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to right and Nico Hall hit a single up the middle to tack on the 9th run for the Panthers.
- The Lions tightened the gap with a run on a sacrifice fly, but Mayka was able to strand a runner at third to preserve the slim Panther lead heading to the final frame.
- Majka came back out for the 7th and quickly retired the side to end the game and give the victory to the Panthers.
- Majka (2-2) picks up the win after allowing 4 runs on 7 hits in 3 innings.
- Hector Vargas finished with a no-decision after allowing 4 runs on 8 hits in 4 innings.
- Sam Dreistadt had a terrific game at the plate, finishing the contest 4 for 5. He also scored 1 run and drove in another.
- Matt LaBadie went 2 for 3. he scored two runs, drove in 1, and drew 2 walks. For the doubleheader, LaBadie reached on 7 of 8 at-bats, including 4 hits.
- Freshmen Nico Hall and Andrew Bokulich each logged two-hit games as well.
The split moves the Panthers to 4-10 on the season. Their AMCC record remains at 2-8 as this was a scheduled non-conference doubleheader, despite the matchup with a fellow AMCC member. The Panthers game against Medaille, scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed with a make-up date still to be decided. Their next scheduled action is against Pitt-Greensburg, on Saturday the 24th.