Pittsburgh, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford traveled south on Sunday for a doubleheader at LaRoche. The Panthers lost game one 11-2 and then were unable to hold onto an early lead, dropping game two 5-4.
Game 1:
The opening game saw the Panthers fall behind early, as the Redhawks scored in each of the first three innings, building an 11-0 lead. The Panthers pushed two across in the 5th, but it was too little, too late.
Faith McLaughlin led off the game with an infield single and then stole second after a fly out to center. The Panthers were unable to bring her around, as the next two batters were retired, ending the frame. Linsay Steele took the circle coming off of her no-hit performance against Penn State-Behrend on Wednesday. In the first, she struggled with her control, and in a similar fashion to her last start, allowed a run in the first without a hit. She walked the leadoff batter and then saw the runner advance to third on two passed balls. The runner then scored on an error on the catcher, putting the RedHawks in the lead. Steele was able to get out of the inning after that, allowing a walk, but retiring the last two batters in a row.
Pitt-Bradford went quietly in the 2nd before the hosts exploded for 7 in the 2nd inning. Steele walked the leadoff batter and was then relieved by Ashley Stein. Stein hit the first batter she faced and then walked the bases loaded with no outs. The Redhawks then broke open the game as the next three batters reached and brought in runs. This was followed by a bases-clearing triple to right, pushing the deficit to 7. They added another run later in the inning before a double play ended the inning.
The Panthers could not take advantage of a leadoff walk to begin the third, and the Redhawks kept building momentum, scoring three more runs on 3 hits and an error. Stein retired the first batter, but an error in the infield was followed by two hits and a walk to load the bases and force in one run. The next batter doubled into center to bring in two. A walk reloaded the bases, but Stein struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
In the 4th, the Panthers were able to register two hits with one out, by MArguerite DeFranco and Krislyn Clement. Meghan Kapp came up next and hit a ball toward the right side, but Clement was unable to avoid the ball, resulting in another hit, but also the second out. The next batter flew out to center to end the inning. Ashton Beckerink entered the game in the fourth and worked around a one-out single to post the first zero of the game for Pitt-Bradford.
The Panthers needed 4 runs in the 5th inning to extend the game and got off to a good start as with one out Chloe Cordova reached on an error and then moved to second on a single from Daytona Wentzel. Ashton Beckerink delivered a single into center field to bring in a pair and force a pitching change for LaRoche. The change was successful, as the next two batters flew out to left and struck out to end the game.
Lindsay Steele received the loss as she allowed 2 runs, 1 earned in 1+ innings pitched without allowing a hit. Ashley Stein was tagged for 9 runs, 5 earned, in 2 innings pitched, while striking out two. Ashton Beckerink pitched the final inning for the Panthers, allowing just one hit. The Panthers tallied 6 hits in the game, all by different players. Ashton Beckerink drove in both runs with a single in the 5th.
Game 2-
The Panthers were able to respond to a tough opening game and jump out to an early lead, but a 4-run 4th led to a 5-4 loss.
Neither team had success in the first inning as the Panthers were retired in order and after an error to start the bottom of the inning, Krislyn Clement got a double play from Faith McLaughlin at short to end the inning.
The Panthers broke out in the 2nd, scoring two runs before an out was recorded. McLaughlin led things off with a walk and then came all the way around to score as Lexi PEters doubled to right field. She then doubled the lead, as Kylee Hertlein hit a single to right. A sacrifice bunt moved Hertlein to second, but she was unable to score as the inning ended on a fly ball to right and a runner caught stealing after a walk. Clement kept the momentum with the Panthers after the 2-run frame, posting a shutdown inning in the bottom half. She worked around another error but retired the next two on strikeouts to strand the runner at 2nd base.
Pitt-Bradford was set down 1-2-3 in the third, and the hosts cut the lead in half in the bottom of the frame. Following a leadoff walk, the Redhawks added a second runner with an infield single, and then both runners moved up on a passed ball. A sacrifice fly to center brought in the run before Clement ended the inning with a ground out to short.
Faith McLaughlin started another rally in the 4th, leading off with a single to right. She was replaced on the base paths by Lexi Peters after a fielder's choice, who moved into scoring position on a Hertlein walk. Both runners moved up on a groundout and then scored as Hannah Fisher reached on an error, pushing the lead to 4-1. In the bottom of the inning, Clement struck off the first batter, but then allowed a single, walk and a double to cut the advantage to two runs. The Redhawks scored another run on a wild pitch and then tied the game on an error on a bunt. They took the lead a batter later on an RBI groundout before a fly ball to left ended the inning.
The Panthers went down in order in both the 5th and 6th innings, but Clement was able to keep the deficit at one, with a double play in the 5th and a pair of strikeouts in the 6th.
Trailing by one in the final inning, Rachel Przybysz hit a one-out single to center, but the next two batters were retired on a fly ball to left and a groundout to third, ending the game.
Krislyn Clement (4-8) went the distance in the loss, allowing 5 runs, 3 earned, on 5 hits. She set a season-high with 6 strikeouts. Lexi Peters had an RBI double and scored 2 runs, while Kylee Hertlein was 1 for 2 with a run scored and an RBI. Rachel Przybysz reached all three times she came to the plate, hitting one single and drawing a pair of walks.
The Panthers fall to 7-24 overall and 2-7 in AMCC play after the losses. They will have the next week off for finals, before returning to action on Tuesday, May 2nd for a home doubleheader against Pitt-Greensburg. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
