Houghton, N.Y. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team stopped a 4-game AMCC losing streak on Wednesday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader with Alfred State. The Panthers rode a dominating performance from Jacob Sherdel to take game one 5-2 before dropping game two 5-4.

Game 1:

Pitt-Bradford's offense got off to a quick start in the first game, scoring in each of the first 3 innings of play to take a 5-0 lead. Sherdel took over from there, limiting the Pioneers to just 2 runs in a complete game victory.

Aiden Zimmerman led off the game by drawing a walk and then moved into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. After Trent Bielak was hit by a pitch, Blake Prestash came through with a clutch hit for the Panthers. /. The infielder drove a single through the left side of the infield to put the Panthers in first. Sheredel made quick of the Pioneer order in their half of the inning and was rewarded for the shutdown inning as the Panthers tacked on a run int he 2nd.

Noah Avey led off the frame with an infield single and then wound up on third after a wild pitch and a sacrifice bunt. He scored to double the lead when JakeSoricone drove a sac fly to center. Sherdel worked around a leadoff single to begin the 2nd, working around a two-out passed ball.

Pitt-Bradford tacked on three runs in the 5th, opening up a 5-0 lead. After a double play erased a leadoff walk to Zimmerman, The Panthers rallied with two outs. They registered 2 hits and took advantage of an Alfred State error to score three times. Bielak worked a walk to start the rally and then moved into scoring position when PRestash reached on an error. Alex Colwell added the third run on a single to center and moved up to second on the play at the plate. Avey found grass in the outfield to extend the lead to 5-0 as he dropped a two-run single into left center. In the bottom half of the frame, Sherdel posted his third straight shutdown inning with 3 consecutive pop-ups.

The hosts clawed a run back in the 4th and 5th innings to cut into the Panther advantage. In the fourth, they hit two singles around a wild pitch to open the scoring before adding an unearned run to their tally in the 5th with a throwing error, bunt, and sac fly. Sherdel matched a quick inning in the 6th and then shut the door in the 7th. He retired the first two batters and then allowed two batters to reach on a walk and a single. He ended the rally and the game a batter later with a foul pop-up to third.

Jacob Sherdel (2-2) went the distance for the Panthers to pick up the win. He allowed 2 runs, 1 earned on 5 hits and a walk. He struck out 8 batters, a career high. Offensively, Noah Avey went 2 for 3 with a pair of singles, 2 RBI, and a run scored. Blake Prestash also had a multi-hit game. He was 2 for 4 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI. Alex Colwell and Jake Soricone each picked up an RBI. 

Game 2:

In the second game of the doubleheader, Shawn Mannering was dominant early, but the Panthers could not break through offensively. The Pioneers eventually built a 5-0 lead in the 6th and then despite allowing 3 Panther runs in the 7th inning, held on for a 5-3 victory.

Mannering seemed unhittable early, striking out two in the 1st, and three in the 2nd while allowing just one single. Aiden Zimmerman hit a two-out double in the 3rd but was left stranded as the inning ended a batter later. In the bottom of the frame, the hosts loaded the bases with a single and two walks, but Mannering kept them off the board with another strikeout.

After the Panthers left two on base in the 4th, Mannering worked around two free passes to post another scoreless frame with 2 more strikeouts.  Pitt-Bradford threatened again in the 5th. Zimmerman and Rodgers both singled with two outs and then moved into scoring position on a double steal. They could not find the hit to open the scoring, however, as Trent Beielak popped up to end the inning. 

Alfred Stae finally broke through in the 5th, scoring three times. Mannering induced a pop-p from the leadoff batter but then gave up an infield single and a double to fall behind. He picked up his 9th strikeout of the afternoon before allowing a home run to right, which gave the Pioneers a 3-0 lead.

Pitt-Bradford was retired in order in the following frame, and Mannering was replaced by Ethan Zimmerman to begin the bottom of the inning. The hosts used the momentum to add to their lead. Zimmerman retired the first batter but then gave up two singles. After a stolen base, the hosts added a run on a squeeze sacrifice bunt and then singled up the middle to go up 5-0. 

With the help of 2 Alfred State errors in the 7th, Pitt-Bradford's offense was finally able to get on the board. Avey reached on a throwing error to start the frame, and then following a strikeout, moved to third when Tim Johnson doubled to the gap. Two batters later, Rogers delivered a two-out single to right, and then Bielak reached on an error to bring in the 2nd run. Prestash continued the rally with a walk before Colwell singled to right, cutting the deficit to two. 

The lefty reliever made quick work of the Pioneers in the bottom half, however, the Panthers could not take advantage of the momentum in the 8th as a walk to Seth Helgert was followed by an inning-ending double play. Zimmerman kept the deficit at two heading into the 9th, despite allowing two singles to start the frame. He got the first out on a sacrifice bunt before getting a double play to end the inning. In the 9th, the Panthers brought the tying run to the plate after a two-out Bielak single to center but saw the game end a batter later on a strikeout. 

Shawn Mannering (3-3) picked up the loss after allowing 3 runs on 5 hits. He struck out 10 batters in 5.0 innings pitched. Ethan Zimmerman pitched the final 3 innings, giving up 2 earned runs on 5 hits. Offensively, three Panthers registered multi-hit games. Maxwell Rogers finished 2 for 5 with a run and an RBI. Aiden Zimmerman also went 2 for 5 with a double. Alex Colwell had the other RBI for Pitt-Bradford as he was 2 for 4 with a pair of singles.

Pitt-Bradford moves to 11-11 with the split doubleheader with a 1-5 record in AMCC play. They are scheduled to be back at home over the weekend as they host Penn State-Altoona. First pitch is currently scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday at Repchick Family Field.