Houghton, N.Y. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford softball team traveled to New York on Friday to play a doubleheader at Houghton, The Panthers lost both games, falling 5-1 in the opener before losing in a walk-off 7-6 in the nightcap.

Game 1-

The Panthers' recent offensive struggles continued in the first game of the day, as they were held to just two hits in a 5-1 loss. 

Pitt-Bradford went down quietly in the first two at-bats, as only Daytona Wentzel reached on a popup that fell in the infield, but starting Pitcher Krislyn Clement was able to keep the Panthers in the game, as she put up a pair of matching zeroes to start the game.

After the Panthers went down in order in the 3rd, the hosts opened the scoring in the bottom half. The Highlanders started the inning with a single, and after Clement retired a batter on a groundout to short, put a second runner on with a walk. A single up the middle scored the leadoff batter to put Houghton ahead. Later in the inning, Clement allowed another single to right but was able to escape further damage, stranding three runners on base after ending the inning with a groundout to third.

The Panthers were credited with their first hit in the 4th inning, as Lexi Peters served a single into right field with two down. The inning ended a batter later, and Houghton quickly added to their lead in the bottom of the inning. They started the inning with a leadoff triple and then doubled their lead as the runner scored on a wild pitch. Clement walked the next two batters and then was relieved by Ashley Stein. Stein also struggled early, as the bases were quickly loaded with a bunt single, and then two runs scored as the next two batters walked in a run. Stein got some help after the second walk, as Peters snagged a hard line drive down the third base line and stepped on third for a double play. Stein was not able to completely escape the inning, as she gave up a two-out, two-run double before ending the inning with a fly ball to left.

The fifth inning concluded without incident, and the Panthers were able to get back on the board in the 6th. Faith McLaughlin drew a walk with one out and then stole second base. With two outs, Wentzel lined a double into right-center to bring in McLaughlin and cut the lead to 4. Stein allowed a leadoff single in the bottom half but was able to retire the next three batters on fly balls to post the shutdown inning. 

In the 7th, the Panthers needed four runs to extend the contest but were set down in order to end the game.

Krislyn Clement (2-3) picked up the loss after allowing 4 earned runs in 3+ innings. Ashley Stein pitched the final three innings, allowing one earned run. Daytona Wentzel and Lexi PEters had the only hits for the Panthers, Wentzel drove in the lone run with a double, bringing in FAith McLaughlin who had reached on a walk and stole a base.

Game 2:

In game two, the Panthers responded to an early deficit, eventually building a 6-2 lead, but after some defensive lapses in a 4-run 5th, eventually lost to the Highlanders on a walk-off.

The Panthers threatened in the first, as after a Chloe Cordova single with one out, Wentzel and Peters both hit long flyouts to left field, but had their efforts caught for outs. Houghton jumped ahead in the first, scoring two runs on 2 hits and a Panther error in the inning. Following a one-out double, starting pitcher Lindsay Steele was able to escape trouble with a flyball to left and a pop-up to second. 

Pitt-Bradford was able to get one-run right back in the second. Steele helped her own cause with a double to the gap in right-center, and then scored two batters later when Kylee Hertlein lined another two-bagger into center. In the bottom half, Steele was able to keep the momentum with Pitt-Bradford as she held the Highlanders to just a two-out walk to post a shutdown inning.

She was rewarded for her effort in the next frame, as the Panthers used the long ball to take the lead. Wentzel lined a one-out single to left before Peters delivered a long home run to left, putting the Panthers ahead 3-2. Pitt-Bradford wasn't done yet, as the next batter Marguerite DeFranco stepped up next, and also hit a long home run to left. The blast was the first of DeFranco's career, and the first time the Panthers have gone back-to-back in over ten seasons.

Steele put up another shutdown inning in the 3rd, working around a leadoff single to post the zero before the Panthers added another run in the 4th. Pitt-Bradford loaded the bases with three consecutive singles in the infield with one out. Wentzel was able to drive in the run with a sacrifice fly to center field. 

Steele was able to keep Houghton off the board for the third straight inning in the 4th and the Panthers tacked on another run in the 5th. Peters started the inning with a hard infield single and then scored a few batters later when Krislyn Clement doubled to right. 

The hosts began their comeback in the 5th, as they were able to score 4 runs in the inning. After a leadoff walk, and a one-out single, Steele allowed a double to left to bring in one run. she retired the next batter on a groundout but then saw a second run score on a single. She seemed to be out of the jam as the next batter hit a ground ball, but an error in the infield allowed another run to cross the plate and the inning to continue. 

Ashton Beckerink replaced Steele after the error and quickly got another ground ball, but it was also mishandled, bringing in the 4th run of the frame. The runners moved to second and third on a wild pitch, but Beckerink was able to make a play in the circle to end the inning with the game tied at 6.

Both teams put a runner on base in the 6th, but were unable to score, setting up an eventful 7th. Peters led off the final frame with a walk and then was replaced with a pinch runner. A sacrifice bunt moved the go-ahead run to second, but then a double play on a flyout ended the inning. In the bottom of the inning, Beckerink retired the first batter but then saw a runner reach second base on a throwing error on a bunt. BEckerink got the second out of the inning on a line out to second base but then allowed a single to center to bring in the winning run.

Ashton Beckerink (1-2) picked up the hard-luck loss, allowing 1 unearned run in 2 innings of work. Lindsay Steele finished with a no-decision after allowing 6 runs, 2 earned, in 4.2 innings pitched. Offensively, the Panthers had 5 extra-base hits in the game, including back-to-back home runs from Lexi Peters and Marguerite DeFranco. Peters was 2 for 3 in the game with 2 runs and 2 RBIs. Kylee Hertlein reached in all three of her at-bats, finishing 2 for 2 with a run and an RBI. Chloe Cordova also had a multi-hit game.

The Panthers fall to 4-12 with the losses. Their games scheduled for Monday, March 27th have been postponed, so the Panthers will have a week before they begin AMCC play with a double-header at Mount Aloysius. First pitch for Saturdays double dip is slated for 1:00 p.m.