Fort Myers, Fla. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford softball team faced tough competition on their third day of play at the Gene Cusic Classic, losing their first two contests of the Spring Break trip. The Panthers began their day with a 13-2 loss in 5 innings to Wisconsin-Superior and then fell to Greenville 5-2 in their second game.

Game 1 - Wisconsin-Superior 13 - Pitt-Bradford 2

Pitt-Bradford fell behind early to the hard-hitting Yellowjackets from Wisconsin-Superior, and could not rally late, ultimately losing the game 13-2.

Sandra Watne started in the circle for Pitt-Bradford and she got off to a strong start, making quick work of the Yellowjackets with a groundout, and two flyouts to left. Miranda Groll led off the game and was hit by a pitch, but after a sacrifice bunt rounded the bag too far and was caught out between 2nd and 3rd. Lexi Peters delivered a two-out single after the double-pay, however, the inning ended a pitch later on a pop-up in the infield.

The second inning began with an error in the Panther infield, which would come back to hurt Pitt-Bradford as Wisconsin-Superior went on to score 4 unearned runs in the frame. After the error, Watne retired two batters on a strikeout and a bunt, but could not escape the inning, as the Yellowjackets singled through the left side to bring in the first run. After the next batter doubled to left, the Yellowjackets added two more on a single up the middle and the fourth run of the inning on a throwing error in the infield. 

The Panthers went down in order in the bottom of the inning, and their opponents used the momentum from the shutdown inning to tack on 6 more runs. Watne retired the leadoff batter but then allowed a pair of doubles around a single through the left side to score two. Watne picked up the second out of the inning on a lineout to short but then allowed a home run to left field, putting Wisconsin-Superior ahead 8-0. The next two batters singled to right, which resulted in a pitching change, as Watne was relieved by Krislyn Clement. The new Panther pitcher was unable to end the inning unscathed, as the first batter she faced tripled to left before the inning ended on a flyball to left.

Lizzy Hoovler led off the 3rd with an infield single, but the Panthers were not able to advance her any further, as the next three batters were retired in a row. Clement was able to post a 0 in the 4th, working around a one-out walk to get Pitt-Bradford back in the dugout. The first two Panthers in the bottom half were retired, before Clement started a two-out rally with a double to the gap in left-center. Morgan Maybee followed with a single through the right side to bring in Clement. Hannah Fisher was able to line a single to left to continue the rally and then Lizzy Hoovler brought in the second run for the Panthers on a single down the line. 

After Pitt-Bradford had cut the lead back to 8, they needed a short inning defensively to try and extend the game past the 5th inning. Unfortunately, the Yellowjackets were able to rally. After a pop-up to start the inning, Wisconsin Superior strung together 4 straight singles to score 3 more times. Clement was able to settle down and ended the inning shortly after with a strikeout and a fly ball to center. In the bottom of the 5th, the Panthers started the frame with two walks, but then the next three batters struck out to end the game.

Sandra Watne (1-2) picked up the loss after allowing 10 runs, 6 earned, in 2.2 innings pitched. Krislyn Clement pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowing 3 earned. Lizzy Hoovler led the Panthers with 2 singles and drove in one run. Morgan Maybee had the other RBI for Pitt-Bradford.

Game 2 - Greenville 5 - Pitt-Bradford 2

After their first loss of the trip, the Panthers looked to strike back against an undefeated squad from Greenville. Unfortunately, the Panthers fell behind early, and could not erase the deficit, falling 5-2.

Miranda Groll started the game with a single to left but was quickly erased from the basepaths as she was thrown out trying to take an extra bag on a sacrifice bunt. Lexi Peters followed with a single to right, however, the inning ended in the next at-bat on a pop-up. Bri Heller took to the circle for the Pitt-Bradford and retired the first batter of the game. She then ran into trouble as the next three batters singled to bring in the first run. A passed ball allowed the 2nd run of the inning to score before Heller was able to end the threat with a strikeout and a groundout.

Both teams were retired in order in the 2nd before Pitt-Bradford was able to cut the deficit in half in the third. Hoovler started the inning with her third hit of the day and then advanced to 2nd on a bunt single by Lexi Najdusak. The next batter, Miranda Groll hit a hard line drive, but it was snagged by the Greenville shortstop, who was able to throw to first to double off Najdusak. Sara Stroup was able to bring in the run, hitting a hard grounder to third for an infield single. Heller returned to the circle for the bottom of 3rd and was able to work around two walks to post a shutdown inning. 

Pitt-Bradford went down in order in the 4thm unable to add any momentum. In the bottom of the inning, Greenville was able to restore the two-run lead with some help from the Panther defense. After a leadoff single, Pitt-Bradford was unable to handle a sacrifice bunt, as the throw to first was errant, allowing the runner to score from first, while the batter made it to second on the play. With no outs in the inning, the Greenville runner stole third base, but once again Heller stepped up, retiring the next three batters to end the inning.

Lizzy Hoovler started the 5th inning with a walk, and then the Panthers also took advantage of a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt, as Najdusak reached on the play. After a fielder's choice on a sacrifice bunt retired the lead runner, Stroup delivered her second RBI single of the day. A bobble in the outfield allowed the Panthers to put the go-ahead run in scoring position and forced a pitching change. The change was successful, as the inning came to an end with two strikeouts. 

Greenville started the 5th with an infield single and a walk. After a sacrifice bunt, they were able to score on an RBI groundout. In the 6th, the Panthers put one runner on when Meghan Kapp singled up the middle, but could not score as the next two Panthers were retired. Heller retired the first two batters of the 6th, but Greenville's speedy leadoff hitter created a run on her own. After a bunt single, the runner stole second and third and then scored on a fielding error. 

The Panthers went down in order in the 7th to end the game. 

Bri Heller (2-2) went the distance for the Panthers. She allowed 5 runs, 2 earned, on 6 hits. She struck out 6 batters. Sara Stroup finished the game 2 for 3 and drove in both runs for Pitt-Bradford. Lexi Peters also had 2 hits for the Panthers, finishing 2 for 4.

The Panthers fall to 6-4 after the losses. They will have a day to recover and recuperate, and then return to action on Thursday. They will take on Emerson at 9:00 a.m. and then Crown at 1:00. The games will be at North Collier Regional Park in Naples.