BRADFORD, Pa. – The Pitt-Bradford Panthers hosted Penn State Behrend and fell in both games to the Lions, 8-4 and 11-8.
The first game started out slow with both teams not giving up any runs through the first three innings.
Late in the top of the fourth inning, Penn State Behrend took advantage of an error by the Panthers defense and with two outs were able to put up seven runs highlighted by back-to-back homeruns by the Lions.
After a devastating inning, the Panthers battled back and chipped away at the lead. After base hits by senior Ang Comilla (Bradford/Bradford) and senior Heidi Lucke (Canton, MI/Canton) the Panthers were able to put two runs on the board, as Comilla scored on a wild pitch and Lucke was brought in by an RBI fielder's choice by freshman Brenna Gustin (Wellsville, N.Y./Bolivar-Richburg).
The Panthers put two more up in the sixth after junior Meagan Hillard (Bradford/Bradford) belted a home run to left field to cut the lead down to 7-4.
Behrend answered with a home run of its own in the seventh to push the lead up to 8-4 and were able to hold off the Panthers to take the win.
Game two started off with the Lions jumping out to an early lead as they scored one in the second, two in the third and one more in the fourth to go up 4-0.
Pitt-Bradford got its bats going in the bottom of the fourth as senior Bri Stenta (Ridgway/Ridgway) got the inning started with a leadoff double and Comilla blasted a two-run homer.
The Panthers were not done in the fourth as Gustin followed with a solo home run of her own to cut the Lions lead to 4-3.
After the Panthers climbed back into the ballgame, the Lions answered with a six-run inning that included two home runs and five hits, extending its lead to 10-3.
Instead of accepting defeat, Pitt-Bradford regrouped and posted five runs in the fifth after RBIs from Comilla, Gustin and freshman Cassidy Lewis (Bolivar, N.Y./Bolivar-Richburg) to bring the Panthers within striking distance, trailing 10-8.
Penn State Behrend put up an insurance run in the top of the seventh after a defensive miscue by the Panthers' defense and was able to take the second game in the doubleheader, 11-8.
Pitt-Bradford head coach Tina Phillips said, "We battled back today and I liked how we came back. Just not a lot of production from my first four batters which we depend on. We also gave up too many home runs, but hopefully we just get going with being outside and get some momentum. We have to take two on Saturday."
The Panthers will take the field next as they travel to Pitt-Greensburg on April 4 at 1 p.m.
